The Princess and the Dragon
by Freestylesmile
Summary: Fang is watching over the hatching of the stable's newest dragon when she gets a surprise visit. A short story of how a stable-girl and a princess grow up to become friends and more.
1. Chapter 1

"Easy, girl. Almost time, is it?" Fang rested a hand on the scales of the anxious, soon-to-be mother dragon, both of them peering down at the large egg cradled in a mound of packed dirt. It quivered just slightly and Fang's grin widened. The dragon shifted closer, nudging it with her large muzzle.

"Careful. Don't wanna break it too early, yeah? Let the bugger find his own way out." The dragon huffed and backed off a little.

Fang wasn't surprised that the dragon seemed to understand her, not to mention _listen _to her_._ At the age of fifteen, her natural affinity with the beasts was discovered and she'd been called to attend to the dragons kept stabled near the palace of the royal family.

She'd proven herself in the few months she'd been there that the dragons were content under her care, and she could have them saddled and ready for the warriors who rode them at a moment's notice. Though she wished she could train to be one of those fabled warriors herself, she didn't have the blood right to such a title. Even so, she loved working with the beasts, and it ensured shelter and food for her and her younger sister.

This was, however, going to be the first newborn to be put under her complete care. She would be responsible for all its training as it grew older. She was as eager as the mother dragon to just smash the egg and drag the squirming little thing out. But the stable master was quick enough with his whip for charges far less than harming a newborn dragon. It didn't help that he directed most of his displeasure at Fang, enough for her to wonder if he was somehow intimidated by her natural skill. It also didn't help that she liked to rub it in his face all the more.

Fang took a breath and stroked a hand gently over the warm shell. She wished Vanille were here to watch. She knew the redhead would be terribly upset that she'd missed the event, but Fang couldn't risk leaving at a time like this. Besides, the young girl was likely fast asleep now, exhausted from her duties at the palace, and not everyone had permission to enter the dragon stables. She'd have to sneak her in another time, like usual.

At that moment, Fang heard the familiar grinding sound of the doors on the ground floor opening. Raising a brow, she gave the egg another look before heading over to see who'd come in.

The stables themselves were a creative structure built right into the side of a massive cliff. Ladders and stairs wound their way up the carved out interior, reaching all of the openings that housed the numerous dragons.

Not too far from the bottom of the stable, Fang peered around a column of rock, looking down at the ground floor of the main chamber. She wondered with a twinge of panic if perhaps the stable master had lost his confidence in her and decided to check in. The thought left her mind when she saw a patch of pink hair. None of the other stable workers had that particular shade and she couldn't have been old enough to be a dragon rider.

The girl, possibly around the same age as Fang though she couldn't see her face, stalked through the rock interior, completely ignoring the staircase and heading towards a corner in the back. Numerous torches and spots of crystal kept the place lit, though it was still pretty dim. There were many openings to the caves throughout for the dragons to come and go, but the only light currently outside came from the moon and stars.

Fang thought to call out to her and tell her she couldn't be there, until the girl abruptly spun around and slid to the floor. Her arms wrapped around her legs, drawing them close and burying her face behind her knees. One hand rested on the back of her head, fingers digging into her hair. It was then Fang noticed the shuddering quake across her shoulders. A quiet sound echoed through the cavern.

She was crying.

Vanille cried a lot, so it wasn't something Fang didn't know how to deal with. However, while her younger sister was usually calmed with a warm hug and a few reassuring words, this person had sought solitude on purpose. She wanted to be alone. The stables were a fair distance to walk to and fairly quiet at night. Fang herself would normally be asleep by now, oftentimes in the stable itself.

She thought to give the girl her privacy, but Fang's protective instincts was telling her to keep an eye on her. They were in the middle of a bunch of dragons, after all, albeit most of them asleep. And if the stable master _did _show up she didn't want to leave the girl to fend for herself, no matter the trouble it would put Fang in.

So she quietly hurried back to check on the dragon and egg to make sure nothing had happened so far, and then returned to her post behind the rock column. There would probably be a lot of chatter from the mother if anything changed, so she didn't think she'd miss anything. The girl hadn't moved, though she was shaking quite a bit. Etro if she wasn't the quietest crier Fang had ever heard, though.

She sat down and leaned her side against the column, setting it between her and the girl to offer some semblance of privacy, continuing to listen to the soft sobs while wondering who the girl was and why she would brave the dragon stables at night, of all places. Surely there were better, safer places to go.

It wasn't long before Fang began to realize how utterly quiet the stables had become. Fang perked up at the sudden silence and peaked out from behind the column. The girl had lifted her head from her knees and was staring out in front of her with a look that was so cold and blank it made Fang feel a little uneasy. She didn't like that look.

Fang watched as another tremor went through her small frame and remembered that it was quite cold in certain spots of the stables. The girl must have been too distraught to remember to wear warmer clothes.

Fang didn't usually notice the cold. She attributed it to spending so much time around the fire-breathing dragons. Vanille, however, pointed out that the reptilian beasts were rather cold themselves when they weren't basking in the sun and Fang just happened to produce an unusual amount of body heat on her own. She'd chuckled at that, but she did take notice when Vanille had to wear extra clothing at times while Fang was content with showing a little skin.

Not far from where she sat was a little alcove she'd taken for herself, a bed and a few possessions laid out in order to keep a close eye on the dragon egg. She went there now to retrieve a blanket and returned to the main chamber.

Fang tossed the heavy fur blanket over her shoulder and leaned out in the open by holding onto the column with one hand. The girl neither flinched nor showed any sign of acknowledgment. Just that same dead stare.

"Oi!" Fang waved a little. The girl's eyes changed focus, looking up at Fang. "Are you alright?" With a start, the girl was on her feet, swiping at her eyes.

"Who are you?" Her voice was raw, but surprisingly strong.

A soft rustle and Fang landed on the ground floor a small distance away. "You can call me Fang," she said, jabbing a thumb at herself. She waited for the girl to introduce herself, but was met only with silence and a bewildered stare.

Fang noticed her clothes then. Though a bit wrinkled, as if she'd been wringing her hands in them all day and night, they were definitely not within the wages of a servant to possess.

"Uh, you have a name? Or do I have to pick one out for you? I'm pretty good with'em."

Her eyes flickered, as though she'd forgotten that's what she was suppose to do. "It's Cl-" Her voice hitched suddenly. She looked to be biting her cheek, refusing to give in to the warring emotions battling through her.

Fang walked closer and, before the girl could protest, wrapped the blanket snug around her shoulders.

"It's a bit worn, but it still does the job. You look like you're freezing." Fang could almost feel the tension bleeding off the pink-haired girl, wondering that she didn't just snap right then and there.

The girl clutched at the blanket, looking Fang over, the question in her eyes. While most days Fang wore the stuffy but durable stable worker uniform, tonight found her only in a loose wrap over a black halter top and shorts. They were rather tattered, various holes and tears showing they'd had better days.

"I'm warm enough. See?" Fang pressed the back of her hand against the girl's cheek. It seemed to startle her and Fang snatched her hand back, forgetting some people weren't as comfortable with touching. She moved to the side to allow some space and plopped down against the wall, patting the ground beside her. It took a few moments, but the girl eventually sat down.

"Rough night, eh?" Fang said, glancing sidelong at her. There was no response. She only tugged the blanket tighter around her and burrowed into it, her head just barely poking out.

Fang looked around the large chamber, searching for something to say. "Have to say I didn't expect to be seeing anyone tonight."

"No one will look for me here." The girl sniffed.

Fang nodded companionably. "Probably right about that." She lifted a brow at her, keeping her eyes gentle but curious. "Who would be looking for you?"

The girl's eyes – blue, Fang noticed – remained downcast. No answer.

Remembering another one of Vanille's exaggerations about her voice being soothing enough to put dragons to sleep, Fang decided to just talk.

"I actually just started working here a few months ago so I don't know too many people. My sister, her name's Vanille, she works at the palace. In the kitchens. Probably knows loads more than I about what goes on in the city. You may have met her once, seeing as she talks to anything that moves. I usually just talk to the dragons," Fang chuckled at herself. "We both lost our families when we were young, but we've stuck together since th-"

"My mother died." The girl said in a voice that was hollow and accompanied by empty silence. She stared blankly ahead before ducking beneath the blanket as if to hide from the world.

A wrenching sob shook her.

"Hey," Fang said softly, reaching an arm out and around the bundled form. "Hey, come here." It took a few gentle tugs before the girl allowed herself to be pulled in to Fang's side. A while later and she had her head buried in Fang's shoulder and clinging to her clothes. Fang held her easily, murmuring softly in her hair, thinking faintly of how the girl smelled like roses. She felt the bitter sting of her own tears, knowing what it was to lose a family.

Eventually the girl's shaking stilled and she pulled away. She huddled back into the blanket, but not before Fang noticed a slight blush on her cheeks.

"Not use to crying, are you?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about. Lots of people cry," Fang sniffed, "See? You even got me doing it."

Her blue eyes darted to Fang, then away, fingers fidgeting with the edges of the blanket.

A rumbling growl came from overhead, causing Fang to look up sharply. A smile spread across her face. She stood, dusting herself off, and offered a hand.

"Come on. There's something I want you to see."

The pink-haired girl took her hand, allowing Fang to pull her from her safe cocoon.

...

From cracked and scattered egg shells, the dragon hatchling chirped and squealed noisily at the pair of girls crouched in front of it. Up until now, Fang had instructed the girl to keep her distance and allow the mother dragon time to attend to the newborn.

"What'll you name it?" the pink-haired girl asked, awe in her eyes. She'd been quiet while watching Fang work and the dragon emerge from its shell, though no less fascinated.

Fang smirked, unsure what interested her more, the girl's reaction or the dragon. "_Him_, not it. And I've already decided on a name." She reached out and stroked a hand down the thin, black-scaled neck, violet eyes peering up at her. "Bahamut."

...

After helping the mother dragon and her newborn settle in, Fang returned to her own personal space where the girl was propped up against the wall next to a small fire – Fang had shown off a little by getting the mother dragon to light it for her. She had the blanket around her still, but appeared outwardly relaxed.

Fang stabbed at the fire with a stick before taking a seat against the wall. The smoke drifted out a small opening into the starry night sky above them.

"You're very good with them. The dragons."

Fang smiled, pleased the girl was willing to talk. "They take to me pretty well, don't they? Most people think you gotta be cruel to get them to listen, maybe since they're big and mean looking, though I'm not sure where they get that idea." The girl gave Fang a look, making Fang laugh. "Okay, maybe I do understand. But all it takes, really, is a gentle hand. Firm, but gentle. It's the same with dogs."

The girl snorted, not believing it was that easy. They fell into a comfortable silence, staring into the warm, crackling glow of flames. A thought came to Fang.

"So. Do I get to know your name now? I haven't thought up of one on my own, yet, and I don't wanna keep thinking of you as 'the girl'."

There was a stretching silence before a slight rustling made Fang turn her head and the girl was on her feet, blanket dropped to the ground. "I should go."

Acting out of reflex, Fang sat up sharply and grabbed her hand in both of hers. "Wait! Er..." The girl's eyes dropped to their hands. Fang loosened her grip but didn't let go. "Sorry. I didn't mean for it to bother you. You don't need to go. I mean," Fang took a breath. "I don't always get a chance to meet new people. I'd like it if you'd stay for a bit."

The girl hadn't lifted her eyes from their hands. A moment and she turned her gaze to the side, cheeks colored, though it may have been from the heat of the fire. "Your hands are rough."

"Oh." Fang suddenly realized how soft hers was. The hand of someone who didn't have to work in order to scrape out a living. "Sorry." She let go.

The girl shifted her weight on her feet, avoiding eye contact. As if making up her mind, she returned to her place against the wall, sitting back down and pulling the blanket around her.

"You said you have a sister?"

Fang's eyes lit up. "Yeah, Vanille. We're not blood related, but we're as close as any family."

"Tell me about her."

Fang looked at the girl, only now catching the small, content smile on her lips, flames dancing in calm eyes. Fang looked away with a smile of her own. And so she talked. About Vanille, about them growing up together. She talked about her work at the stables and how she envied the dragon riders.

Her low voice echoed off the cavern walls, soothing as a running spring. The fire burned down to mere coals. Just beyond Fang's small alcove, the dragons slept peacefully.

"...so long ago I can hardly remember my parents. Not even sure where Vanille and I are from-" A lite weight fell into Fang's side, causing her to look down. The girl was sound asleep, her head resting on Fang's shoulder.

Fang chuckled quietly to herself, scratching the back of her head with her free hand. She couldn't remember the last time she'd talked so much. Other than with Vanille. And the dragons. This girl was so quiet, yet her eyes, so expressive against a passive mask, held genuine interest. Fang couldn't help spilling her life's story. It felt good to finally talk to someone about the things on her mind.

Fang gathered the girl in her arms and rolled to her knees and feet, grunting a little from the weight. The girl didn't look to be all that heavy. A few steps and she set her gently on her bedroll. She stirred only slightly.

"Go ahead and get some rest, yeah?" Fang whispered quietly, tucking the blanket securely around her. "It's gonna be tough, but it'll get better. Promise." Tomorrow wasn't going to be any easier for the girl, the reality of her loss being more prominent in the light of day. But for now, even just for a little while, she could have some peace. "And maybe you'll tell me more about yourself sometime. When you're ready."

Fang stamped out the glowing remains of the fire and sat down against the wall. Making herself comfortable, her eyes easily drifted shut after a long night.

It was just before she lost consciousness that the smallest of whispers reached her ears.

"Thank you, Fang."

...

When Fang woke the next morning to the sounds of a busy stable, the girl was already gone, blanket folded neatly in her place. It was later in the day that she listened to Vanille, as they snuck into the stables to see Bahamut, talking about how the queen had passed away to illness, leaving behind her two daughters. Apparently there had been a bit of a panic when the eldest had disappeared suddenly during the night. Then the redhead had squealed in delight at the sight of the baby dragon, making the mother grumble in irritation, and Fang pushed the bit of gossip from her mind.

It wasn't until she went to sleep, pulling the rose-scented blanket over her head, that she shot straight up when realization hit her.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Prompt 41: Medieval AU, where Lightning is a princess and Fang is the resident stable-girl (for dragons.)

fangrai-february(period)tumblr(period)com (Pffft, we all know it's fangrai-FOREVER)

This story has more to it (so it gets its own story slot), which I'm working on now and plan on completing before I start anything else. I think it will be three, maybe four chapters long. Somewhere around there. I actually didn't intend for it to be this long in the first place. I thought I'd just do quick flashes of scenes as they grew up, but I guess I started having too much fun. That said, I did a lot of changing in the middle of writing it, getting new ideas and stuff, so let me know if any parts seem kinda off or weird or incomplete or whatever. I'm afraid I may get tunnel-vision sometimes and forget what it was I was trying to do in the first place.

And I'm horrible with titles. But it's kinda like when I play Skyrim and make a new character. I could sit there forever trying to think up a cool name and never actually get to playing the game.


	2. Chapter 2

If Fang ever thought her little meeting with the princess would either get her in the royal family's good graces or kicked out of the stables, she needn't have worried. The princess, whom Fang learned had taken to calling herself Lightning, never came back, and the very rare occurrences when they might have spotted each other across a courtyard, Fang may as well have been invisible.

_Of course I am_, Fang thought irritably. Their positions were so far apart, was it any surprise Her Highness saw nothing but air from her lofty chair? That night was merely a moment of weakness the princess would want to forget. To forget Fang.

She began to wonder why she didn't see more of the princess around the stables, however, thinking surely the royal family was entitled to dragon riding lessons. She asked Vanille about it while they ate lunch in the servant's dining area.

"You really don't know? Fang! You have _got_ to get out more. I swear there are times when you act just like a dragon." Fang didn't always have a chance to get away from the stables, but she took advantage of any small opportunity that came up for her to see her sister.

At that moment, Fang was tearing into a huge chunk of meat grasped in both her hands. She paused, her cheeks full. "Wha're oo 'alkin' bou'?"

Vanille slapped a hand over her face but proceeded to enlighten her older sister. "The late king was killed by a dragon several years ago. It was an accident, but the king was well loved. They executed not only the dragon, but the handler who lost control of it, and the queen decided never to let her daughters anywhere near them. 'Course, the queen is gone now, but I suspect people are still hanging on to her ruling."

Fang was quiet a moment, chewing. She stuffed some of the food into the side of her mouth to talk. "But with both the king and queen dead, doesn't the eldest daughter become queen? She could just change the rule."

"In theory, yes. But in practice, she's still a princess and every decision falls to the royal advisor until she's eighteen."

Fang thought about that, feeling a bit of dread sink into her stomach along with the meat she'd finally managed to swallow. No matter that she'd attempted to comfort the 'in-theory' queen, but she'd brought said queen straight into the den of a mother dragon and her newborn. At the time, Fang was sure she had everything under control, but at present all she could think of was everything that could have gone wrong. She'd be executed. The mother and Bahamut. What would happened to Vanille, then?

Vanille must have noticed Fang's paling complexion, but when asked, Fang forced a smile and ruffled the redhead's hair, teasing her about being 'Little Miss Know-it-all'. This was followed by the throwing of food until the cook came out with a large wooden spoon and they made themselves scarce.

...

The next year kept Fang busier than ever. She still had her normal stable duties on top of taking care of Bahamut, and she was determined to raise him to be a great dragon. The little reptile was certainly a handful, but she wouldn't have it any other way. Fang cooed after Bahamut as if he were a baby kitten, something Vanille often teased her about because the dragon was always trying to bite off the stable-girl's fingers.

The dragon grew fast and it wasn't long before Fang was taking him outside for some basic training. He still couldn't carry a rider, but Fang nonetheless strapped on a small saddle whenever they went out so he'd get used to it.

A long chain attached to a halter was used to maintain direct control, along with a whip that was harmless when cracked along the scales and mostly used for getting attention. There was also a shocking rod, but Fang didn't feel she needed it. In fact, there were a number of training items that Fang disregarded. Bahamut followed her around like a puppy.

Currently, she'd detached the leash and was letting the black dragon stretch his purple-tinged wings over the grassy plains. Over twenty feet long from head to tail, his shoulder reached Fang's elbow while standing. His massive wingspan foretold he had a great deal more growing to do.

Fang used hand signals and whistles to direct him as he sailed through the air, making sure he was always keeping an eye on her, as he would need to for whatever future rider was picked for him.

She sighed a little sadly at that. Fang had always known Bahamut didn't belong to her and never would. That he would be given a rider when he was older and his training was complete. It didn't make the idea any easier to accept. And she'd have to deal with it over and over for as long as she worked there. She just hoped whatever rider was chosen for Bahamut would be worthy of him.

The wind shifted and Fang's signal for Bahamut to land went unacknowledged. Instead, the dark beast's head twisted to face the wind, nostrils flaring, and spied something much more interesting in the distance. Like a dog hooked on a fascinating scent, Bahamut was off.

It took three sharp whistles to get through to the dragon, commanding him to '_land_ _NOW!'._ He did it reluctantly, shifting and fussing when his claws touched the ground. Fang sprinted up to him.

"'The hell has gotten into you?" She latched the leash to his halter, resting a hand on his shoulder and looked around. The wind caught up again, rushing along the grass and carrying the scent of roses. Both Fang and Bahamut perked up.

In the distance was none other than Princess Lightning, wind sweeping at pink strands of hair as she attempted to wave off the spear-wielding guards flanked around her. There was a _woosh_ behind Fang and the ground trembled. She spun around in confusion to find – to her distaste – the master stableman dismounting a large yellow dragon. His eyes were furious when they landed on Fang and the whip was quick and vicious in his hand. He was shouting at her. How _dare_ she put the princess in danger?

The first crack sent pain lancing across her back and she dropped to her knees, a defiant snarl on her lips. Bahamut growled, but she snapped at him to back down. She heard the whip as it was pulled back for another strike, the whistle through the air, her muscles tensing in apprehension.

And then silence.

Fang's head whipped around to find Lightning standing between her and the stable master, Lightning's arm raised over her head and the whip wrapped snug around her forearm. There was an unsettling hush over everyone watching. The princess's guards stood back, weapons drawn but uncertain. The stable master's eyes wide with horror. And Lightning...

Lightning was _angry_. She shook with it, the fist at her side clenching and unclenching with raging fury. Wind rippled across her blue tunic, fire dancing in her eyes, a sword dangling on her hip. A hiss passed through her teeth and her eyes flashed when she grabbed the whip with one hand and _yanked_ the offending man straight into a solid right hook, sending him sprawling to the ground.

He staggered back to his feet, cradling his jaw. "H-Highness I was just- you could have been injured, she let the dragon get out of control-" She hit him a second time, looking like she wanted him to get back up so she could make it thrice. He remained on the ground. After a deep, ragged breath, Lightning took a step back, reining in her anger.

"A young dragon with little training, and she still managed to call him down. I wonder if you're so well in control of yours." Lightning jerked her chin behind him.

The stable master looked around, finding that the dragon he'd flown in on had decided it had better things to do and was currently making its way toward the city. Cursing, the stable master scrambled to his feet and ran after the wayward creature, though some might think of it as running away from the wrath of the princess.

Lightning ordered her guards to stand down before finally turning to Fang and took a step toward her. "Turn around."

Fang spoke in a voice that was tight with pain. "It's fine, I'll take care of it."

"You will allow me to look at it."

Fang, back on her feet, hesitated at the direct, clipped tone. Feeling uncertain, Fang looked to the fleeing stable master. To the guards, silent and obedient.

_Am I just like them? _

"Is that a command, princess?" Fang challenged.

_Am I really just another servant to you? _

Lightning halted abruptly, eyebrows shooting up as though she wasn't used to her orders being ignored. She was quick to collect herself and her lips thinned with impatience. "It is."

So that's that, then. Of course she would be ordered and expected to obey, Fang thought with a mental shake of her head. A stable-girl next to a princess? They weren't friends and never could be. A year had passed and only now the princess sought her out? Was she expecting warm hugs and carefree smiles? It couldn't have been the dragons that kept the princess away. Fang wasn't bound to the stables, no matter how much time she liked to spend there.

Fang felt stupid to even think, to have hope, that she might have been treated differently. She was a servant. A _servant. _This whole scenario was proof of how far apart they were.

Fang's shoulders stiffened and she turned her back on the princess. _Why does it make me so angry? _

She started when a hand was placed gently on her back and the pain ebbed and receded, replaced by a soothing warmth. Fang didn't know the princess possessed healing magic.

"Has this happened before?"

Fang scowled then and stepped away, shaking off the hand. She felt ashamed and she hated it. "You don't need to bother yourself with me and my scars. I'm sure you have more important things to do." Fang turned and gave a mocking bow with her arms spread. "Your _Highness_."

Something flashed through Lightning's eyes. It wasn't anger, but something more vulnerable. But it was gone just as quickly, making Fang wonder if it was a trick of her own rebellious mind. There was an awkward silence, and Fang thought the princess would decide to leave then.

Bahamut, however, was done with being ignored and raised his head to Lightning's shoulder, nudging it with the tip of his nose.

The faintest of smiles touched the princess's lips and she rested a hand along his muzzle. Fang watched with sudden apprehension as the guards readied their weapons. They kept their distance, at least for now. _It may not only be Bahamut they go after..._

"Bahamut. You've grown well," Lightning said. The dragon snorted happily, leaning into the hand as it scratched a sensitive spot below his ear.

Turning her attention from the guards, Fang raised a brow. _So, she remembers his name. Of _course_ she does, a dragon is more interesting than a dirty stable-girl. _Fang's jaw clenched, unsure why the thought bothered her so much. Normally she was proud of her position. _Bloody dragon is getting better attention than I am._

"He must recognize your scent," Fang explained with a wave of her hand. "Well you also..." _Had my scent on you_. "...were around me then," she finished lamely, glancing at the guards again.

"I didn't think he'd remember me."

Upon hearing those words, Fang was suddenly disgusted by the tail-wagging, attention-seeking dragon. He was already purring for the princess. _I'm the one who feeds you, you mongrel._

"It's nice to be noticed, isn't it?" The words were out before she could catch them.

Lightning's eyes flashed to her in surprise. For a moment Fang wished she had swallowed her words, but she held that blue gaze firm. Lightning's shoulders straightened almost imperceptibly and her chin tipped up, reminding Fang that this was royalty she was dealing with. It just made her smirk even more.

Fang lifted her own chin. If the princess thought she was going to bow and pine and grovel she was going to be sorely disappointed. Bahamut looked back and forth between them, worry in his violet eyes.

"Are you always this stubborn?" the princess asked with thinly veiled irritation.

"When the mood strikes me." Looking cross, Fang folded her arms and shrugged carelessly, acting like the words didn't bother her. "Why are you even here? I mean, if I hadn't been able to call Bahamut and he did something to hurt you, even by accident, what then?" Fang stalked forward then, riling herself up. Maybe it wasn't just anger that had her so on edge. Maybe it was fear, though she would never admit it to herself. "_I'd_ be killed. Bahamut when he's hardly a _year_ old. Vanille, she-" Fang's voice shook and she stabbed a finger at the princess, rounding on her. "All because _you_ decided to take a _stroll_-"

A staff struck Fang from the side, sending her to her knees, and a guard positioned himself between her and Lightning. "That's enough, whelp! Show respect for your future queen."

Clutching her side, Fang lifted her head and her glare was full of anger, but it wasn't directed at the guard. Lightning's mouth parted as though to reprimand the guard, but the words seemed to die on her lips when her eyes met Fang's. There was a stalling moment before the princess looked down at her feet, appearing thoughtful.

"I didn't intend for things to get so out of hand," she said quietly. "I'm..." She cast an unusual look towards Fang – was that defeat in her eyes? – before masking her features behind a face that was as cool, distant, and unreadable as ever.

The steel returned to her voice. "I should go. It seems I've caused enough trouble already." She spun on her heel and strode away without so much as a backward glance, her guards hurrying to catch up.

Bahamut made as if to follow, but Fang grabbed his leash and jerked. "You're staying right here, mister."

Bahamut balked and snorted. _Why did you scare her off?_

Fang pulled back on the chain. "Hey, who's side are you on? And your lessons are not over, get back up there."

The dragon fluttered his wings, grumbling and glaring as she unlatched the leash. _If you weren't so proud and stubborn..._ Bahamut turned his back and jumped into the air.

"Oh, so it's my fault, is it?" Fang called after him, throwing her arms out. The dragon snorted in response, smoke billowing from his snout as he circled higher.

With an angry huff, Fang looked over her shoulder at the departing entourage, seeing they were mere specs in the distance. Tensing up, she clenched her jaw before baring her teeth and driving a fist hard into the ground, shouting her frustration for all the plains to hear. The partially healed wound on her back split open to the sting of the air.

…

Sitting upright on the edge of her bed in a light pink nightgown and hugging a large pillow, Princess Serah yawned hugely, nearly cracking her jaw. In front of her, her older sister paced a rut into the floor, arms folded tightly and her head bent down in serious concentration.

Serah blinked rapidly through bleary eyes, fighting another yawn. "Okay, so what you're saying is, there's this... 'hypothetical' person that you would like to be friends with, but she's 'impossible' and 'incredibly stubborn'."

"Right." Lightning nodded once, not missing a step in her pacing.

Serah blinked a few more times. Normally that was enough for Lightning to give up on a person. _Normally_ Lightning didn't get all bothered about friendship or anything that didn't have to do with her duty to the throne. But normal didn't find her at Serah's door in the middle of the night looking like she hadn't slept a wink.

"And, hypothetically, you went looking for her, and it didn't go well."

"Right. She got whipped and I stepped in. I tried to help her and she just got angry." Lightning could vividly recall turning to the sound of the cracking whip and how her vision had reddened with fury.

"Did she want help?"

Lightning halted and looked at her. "What?"

Serah took a deep breath, fighting with her eyelids. Watching all that pacing had made her very tired. "I said, did she _want_ help?" She loved her sister dearly, but she still had a ways to go on learning the finer points of social niceties.

Lightning looked at her incredulously. "I don't care if she wanted it or not! She was injured and it was _my fault_. It was my responsibility to fix it."

There was that word she kept hearing. Something that everyone, the royal advisor especially, constantly tried to drive into the eldest princess's head. Ever since the death of their mother, Lightning had thrown herself into her duties like someone possessed, always trying to do what was best for her people, rarely thinking of herself.

Serah remembered a few peculiar times when the heir to the throne would pause and stare out a window, always in the direction of the dragon stables. Her eyes would soften for just a moment before muttering about various responsibilities and moving on. Serah had always thought it was simply about a desire to see and ride the dragons.

This was the first time Serah had seen her so focused on something other than the younger princess or the throne. That refreshing notion was the only thing keeping Serah awake at the moment, wanting to be able to help her sister for a change.

Serah yawned again. "And after that she was yelling at you, and a guard stepped in and knocked her down."

Lightning's eyes nearly turned to fire. "He was out of line."

_The princess is being yelled at and it's the protective guard who is out of line?_ _Interesting,_ Serah thought, tucking that information away.

"And you just... _walked_ away." Serah waved her head around as she said it.

Lightning's jaw muscle was working furiously against her cheek. "She clearly didn't want me there. I..." She folded her arms again and resumed her pacing with renewed vigor. "I was just causing her more trouble. And I barely got permission from Dysley to go to the stables in the first place. I didn't want to make it worse." Galenth Dysley was the crotchety old advisor that Serah knew would be tossed out like moldy cheese once Lightning came into her power. "Maybe if I didn't have to have those guards around..."

"You went to the stables? Is this person a dragon rider?" _That would make sense._ Someone strong and powerful to capture the attention of the future queen. Except it _wouldn't_ make sense for them to get whipped...

"No."

"Is she... a stable worker?"

"Yes." Lightning paused with a sideways look at her sister. "Hypothetically."

"Of course," Serah nodded absently, taking a deep breath. "In that case, she probably feels like you're trying to throw your title around. You do sort of have a way about you that..." Lightning was almost looming over Serah as she waited for her to finish. Serah leaned back subconsciously. "I-I mean, you do have quite a bit of power, and I don't think you realize the effect it can have on people. Especially for someone in a position like hers where she can't face you as an equal. It can be a little intimidating." Serah thought she could have worded that better, but she was too tired to try so she rushed on. "It sounds like she is telling you she's not intimidated by it. Oh! I like her already."

Lightning's glare hardened, if that were possible.

"H-hypothetically speaking, of course."

Lightning shook her head, looking away with a frustrated release of breath. She tipped her head back then, sighing, hands on her hips. "Maybe it wouldn't work. Our positions are too far apart for us to even be allowed to talk."

Serah straightened. "That's not true at all. I happen to be friends with all kinds of people in the palace. Nobles _and_ servants. Just the other day, actually, I met this really nice girl who works in the kitchens," Serah said, pausing to think a moment. "Oh shoot, what was her name? Van... Vanny..."

"Vanille?"

"Yes! Tha- wait, how would you know that?"

Lightning ignored the question and strode over to Serah's desk, pulling out a small strip of paper. She dipped a quill into the inkwell and quickly scribbled something down. She gave the note a moment to dry, then folded it neatly. "Do you think you'll see her again?"

"Vanille? I thought I might visit her tomorrow, actually." _If I manage to get any sleep tonight._ "Who's the note for?"

"Vanille knows this stable-girl. I want her to deliver it." Lightning handed the note to Serah.

Serah took the folded note, wanting to read it but holding back. "You're writing a note," Serah began, feeling a smile coming on as she looked up at her sister. "And giving it to me to give to Vanille to give to the hypothetical stable-girl that you hypothetically want to become friends with."

Lightning couldn't help but soften her gaze under her sister's teasing scrutiny. With a smile of her own, she poked Serah's forehead with a finger.

"Right."

...

Fang was already sitting in the servant's dining area with a gloomy expression when Vanille suddenly came flying toward her.

"What took you so-"

"_Fang!_ What is this about you needing healers? You never told me you were hurt! _And_ you _definitely_ didn't tell me you had met Princess Li-" Vanille's words were suddenly muffled by Fang's hands that quickly covered her mouth.

"_Hush!_ Not so loud." Fang looked around anxiously, catching a few curious glances. She didn't care for people to think she might have special connections.

Vanille slapped her sister's hands away, but still chose to lower her voice. "Oh nobody cares, Fang. Princess Serah comes around here all the time."

"And how many times does _Princess_ Lightning come around, hm?" Fang actually hadn't known about Serah's visits. But she could easily assume Lightning was not as social.

"W-well, I'm sure she's just more busy. But that doesn't explain _this_!" Vanille slapped a small piece of paper down on the table.

_A note?_ Fang neither reached for it nor tried to look more closely at the words. "What does it say?"

Vanille sat down and picked up the note. It was a sore spot with Fang that she couldn't read or write very well, though she'd never tell Vanille just _how_ much it bothered her. She had learned enough when they were younger to enable them to get by, nothing more. After getting steady jobs, Fang stockpiled their money in order to pay for Vanille's schooling. Whenever Vanille argued with her about it, saying they should both take classes, Fang adamantly refused because they just didn't have the money for it. Unfortunately, it also caused her to read and write even less, as if to prove she didn't need the skills.

Vanille read aloud:

_I am sending a healer to the stables tomorrow.  
__You will meet him there.  
__-L_

Fang paused before asking, "That's it?" She nearly bristled as her anger returned. "Did _she_ give you that note or did she send one of her lackeys to do the work for her?"

"Princess Serah brought it on her last visit." Fang seemed even more upset by that, but Vanille turned to her with a scowl of her own. "What do you need a healer for? What happened and why didn't you tell me?"

Fang shifted uncomfortably. "It...It was just an accident. With one of the dragons. Scratched my back up a little. It wasn't a big deal, nothing for you to worry about."

Vanille looked down at the note to hide the hurt in her eyes. "At least she's nice enough to send you some help."

"_Nice_ enough to..." Fang growled, "She just wants to order me around and expects me to follow like a well trained dog. I'm not going to do it."

"What? But Fang, she's the princess, you don't really have a choice. And if you're injured, you need to have it looked at."

Fang waved her hand. "It's fine, I've already taken care of it." _Just like all the other times._

Vanille bit her lip, looking like she wanted to say something but changed her mind. "I am suppose to give a response." She sighed. "I don't have any ink with me today so-"

Fang snatched the note from her hand. "Save your ink, I'll deal with this." She looked over Lightning's writing. So professional and elegant. So... impersonal. Just like the princess herself. And Fang could hardly make sense of it. That last thought stung too deeply for her to acknowledge.

"But-"

Fang reached under the table to her foot and pulled out a small boot knife. "There is one word I do know how to spell."

…

When Serah came by later that day, Vanille handed her the note with a nervous giggle while scratching the back of her head. The young princess winced.

…

It was almost comical, the way Lightning held the note out in front of her, jaw dropped and eyes wide with stunned disbelief.

Ripped straight through her own handwriting, the letter 'N' was cut crudely into the paper, next to a less than perfect circle that she could look through and see Serah fidgeting on the other side.

Lightning could only open and close her mouth every few seconds, fighting for words that wouldn't come. Serah wondered how many limbs she'd lose if she pointed out how her sister looked like the fish kept in the ponds in the palace gardens.

"She... she just," Lightning started. She licked her lips and tried again. "She thinks she can just..." Failing again, Lightning slowly crumbled the paper in her hand and let it drop to the ground.

Serah grimaced as she watched Lightning stride stiffly over to the desk, pull out another small sheet of paper and jot something down. She turned to Serah with cold fury in her eyes and handed the folded note to her.

The young princess ignored her sister's protests when she opened the note. She murmured aloud, "...or I'll send guards to- No, no, no," Serah waved her hands around, walked over to the desk herself, and pulled out the chair. "_Sit_ down."

"I don't have to-"

"Do you want a follower, or do you want a friend?" Serah met her gaze evenly. She didn't often stand up to her sister, but by Etro she was going to make her stop acting like a spoiled child.

After a minute of fidgets and scoffs, Lightning finally sat down. "_Alright._ What should I do?"

Serah opened a drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper, much larger than the ones Lightning had been using previously. "We're going to start with an apology."

The chair skid back and fell over as Lightning shot to her feet. "Forget it."

…

Princess Serah was smiling sunnily at Vanille, in a way that was almost scary, as she handed the lengthy note to her.

…

"...and so I humbly request to atone for my mistakes and for those in service to the crown by asking for your forgiveness and allowing a professional healer to look after your injuries. Sincerely, Princess Lightning Farron." Vanille looked up from the letter in her hands with subdued hope.

Fang was leaning back against a wall in the dining room, using a small, thin stick to pick at her teeth. Her expression had relaxed considerable compared to when she'd first laid eyes on the letter. She smirked a little to herself, wondering how many teeth had been pulled for the princess to write some of those words. The idea probably shouldn't make her feel quite this good.

"What do you think?" Vanille ventured hesitantly when Fang gave no immediate response. "It sounds like she's really trying..."

Fang grudgingly agreed. Perhaps she'd been too fast to judge the princess. But she couldn't let her off that easy... could she?

Vanille groaned as a grin spread slow and cunning across her sister's face. Fang pushed off from the wall, throwing an arm around Vanille's shoulders and tugging her along. "Come on, let's get your ink. I need you to help me."

Later, when they probably should have returned to their chores, Vanille read back through the finished letter one last time, wondering if she ought to pack up now and leave the country.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I work with dragons, Vanille," Fang said matter-of-factly, her green eyes shining and her lips twisted into a devilish smirk. "I like playing with fire."

…

Serah had just let her head sink into the big, fluffy pillow when a thunderous _BANG!_ sent her bolting upright. Lightning shoved through the door so hard it ricocheted off the wall and swung back at her, forcing her to block it with her forearm.

"_She still said no!" _Lightning cried furiously, thrusting the door away and striding into the room with the latest letter crumbled in her hand. Her voice was uncharacteristically loud and uncontrolled.

It wasn't long ago Serah had left the note in Lightning's room for her to find, and Serah hoped to escape for some much needed shut eye. Unfortunately, it seemed she would be up for yet another night fussing over Lightning's current obsession.

"What did she say now?" Serah asked drearily, pulling herself from the warm, cozy blankets. She leaned against a post at the foot of the bed, dropping her head against it.

Lightning was livid. "This was your idea! You made me write that infernal letter. And for _what_? So she could throw it in my face?" As if to emphasize her point, Lightning chucked the crumbled paper at her sister. It bounced harmlessly off the sleepy sibling's cheek.

Serah grumbled as she bent over to pick it up. "Sometimes that happens when you put yourself out there. It's a risk we all take." She smoothed out the letter as best she could and looked it over.

..._regret to inform you, Your Most Royal Highness, that your humble servant cannot bear to bask in your ever glowing light of forgiveness and must refuse the gift you have so graciously offered. If, however, pigs might someday fly and you wish to continue our current means of entertainment, if only to keep our enslaved sisters busy..._

Serah giggled, holding a hand over her mouth. "I think she's teasing you. She's even said you can continue trading letters."

"T-tease... She's _mocking_ me!" Lightning's hands fisted and she paced a marching line across the full length of Serah's room. "_Me!_ The heir to the Throne of Eden! Leader of all Cocoon! I will command dragon riders in battle! _I,_ who has already become one of the greatest duelists in the kingdom! And this... this... _peasant _thinks she can continue to refuse me?! Does she think I'll cater to her flippant manners and childish games?"

Hugging one arm across her front, Serah winced, not sure she'd ever seen her sister acting so dramatically. "You were the one to reach out to her. How badly do you want to see her again?"

There was a pregnant pause as Lightning simply looked at her, appearing as though she'd just swallowed something questionable.

Serah would have to admit to mild surprise when her sister turned smartly on her heel and sat down at the desk, pulling out yet another sheet of paper.

The young princess looked longingly at her bed before moving over behind her sister and leaning against the back of the chair.

"You could deliver it yourself, you know," Serah said without accusation.

Lightning looked up at that, unable to mask her worry quick enough. In a much calmer voice, she said, "I'm pretty busy. The envoy from Palompolum is coming and I doubt I'll be able to get away."

Serah just nodded. Her sister, despite her spirited speech earlier, was not invulnerable to rejection and probably feared a repeat of their last meeting. Perhaps letters would be best for now, until the time was right.

…

It was slow at first, the letters awkward and searching for common ground. It would come as a pleasant surprise, then, when they wrote and found interest in their differences. Lightning told of events in the palace. Of the nobles she thought were fair and loyal and the others whom she merely wished to drop from a high cliff. Of the advisor Galenth Dysley and his increasingly unfair rulings. Of the duel she won against her best guard.

Fang's letters were mostly about Bahamut's growth and well-being. But also of how the stable master kept his distance. How the dragon riders traded tales of their adventures for her advice about their mounts. How she could sing Tiamat, the meanest, orneriest dragon, to sleep.

Their sisters met in the kitchen almost daily, chatting in the midst of a busy kitchen, pots and pans banging loudly around them. Serah often lent a hand, to the delight of the other servants.

Weeks passed and progress found its way into the quiet eagerness Lightning and Fang felt upon receiving their respective letters. It found Lightning with a secret smile as she walked through the palace corridors. It found her subordinates less fearful of retaliation and more willing to serve. It found her searching less for her sister's help with her letters and more for starting pillow fights and laughing like they use to.

And Fang...

It found her awake at night next to a small candle, reading aloud one of the princess's letters. It found her at the table with a quill in her hand, scratching slowly over a sheet of paper, nudging Vanille every now and then to check her words. It found her leaning against a dozing Bahamut, carefully studying one of her sister's school books.

"What do you like about her? About Fang?" Serah asked one night while Lightning sat at her desk.

There was a full minute of silence, broken only by the continuous scratching of the quill in Lightning's hand.

"Sis?"

Lightning jerked, smearing a line of ink. Cursing, she set the quill aside, but not before noticing what she'd been writing in the last minute.

…_eyes rich as the palace emeralds, voice smooth as silk, hair, wild and free as her spirit, ..._

Scowling at her ridiculous fascinations put to ink, Lightning picked up the paper and held the corner over a candle, lighting it.

Then, hesitating, she brought it back before her eyes. She thought of the time she'd been held in a selfless embrace. Of the eyes that flashed proud and defiant before her. The compassion and intelligence she saw in all those letters.

"She's not like anyone I've met before." Lightning watched as the flame slowly consumed the letter.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Kudos to DanTheJogger93 for the 'Vanille the messenger' idea. I thought it was brilliant so I took the idea and gleefully ran with it. Thank you!

I had someone read over this for me before I posted it (normally it only passes my eyes). A couple things they noted was that I tend to move too fast over some moments, my use of pronouns sometimes makes it difficult to figure out exactly who I'm referring to, and I could probably work on my character description/development - although that last one could be because my reader doesn't know anything about Final Fantasy and I'm sure I take advantage of the idea that most readers already know about the game and characters. Anyway, I tried to fix up some places where these things were happening. There were some spots I didn't really know how to change, but hopefully they're not too bad. Stuff for me to watch out for in the future, at least.

And this story will be five chapters long. I was sure it was going to be four, and then I cut out the original ending I had to this chapter to keep for later, as it was kind of long and felt out of place here.


	3. Chapter 3

Vanille was at the counter, slowly kneading a large mound of dough. Her arms were tired and her muscles ached. Her apron, sleeves and hands were covered in white flour. People scurried too and fro about her, preparing for the feast later that day.

She wiped at her forehead with the back of her arm, leaving a mark. _I really should tell Fang... No, no I can't. There's no telling how she'll react. _Actually, Vanille corrected herself, she knew _exactly _how Fang would react. _And it will just get us into trouble. I can handle it on my own._ Vanille bit her trembling lip. _I can be strong. Strong like Fang. I'm tougher than I look._

It was getting harder to keep up her cheerful smiles and carefree laughter, especially around her sister. Her upbeat facade was faltering, but she was grateful that for now, as busy as everyone was, no one took notice.

No one except the pink-haired figure who stood in the doorway. Focused on her thoughts as she was, Vanille didn't realize the chatter had ebbed into silence or the stillness that gradually froze the room.

Someone nudged her shoulder urgently. She looked around with confusion to find everyone paused in their work, staring in stunned awe. Vanille followed their gaze to the far end of the kitchen and her surprised gasp was loud in the quiet room.

Blue eyes met hers, breaking away only to acknowledge the approaching head cook. After a few exchanged words, the cook looked over her shoulder at Vanille and hurriedly beckoned to her.

Suddenly the center of dozens of eyes, Vanille's hands shook a little as she tried – in vain – to wipe off the flour that covered her. She made her way across the expanse of the kitchen, hands wringing together.

The imposing figure looked at her with curious eyes. "Vanille? I wish to speak with you... outside." The last word was said with a glance around the room. The look seemed to trigger a switch in the head cook who immediately spun around and started shouting for everyone to get back to work.

…

Outside of the kitchens, Princess Lightning took Fang's letter from the redhead, waving off the apologies for dirtying it with her floured hands.

"If I may ask, Your Highness," Vanille ventured hesitantly. "Where is Princess Serah?" It was odd. At first Vanille was incredibly intimidated by the eldest princess, afraid of crossing some imaginary line to end up facing terrifying consequences. She wondered how Fang had gotten away with all her teasing.

However, it wasn't long before Vanille realized that those blue eyes were not nearly as cold as she first thought.

The eyes in question flickered, but Lightning's voice remained even. "She is ill and resting. I had time today so I decided to stop by in her place." Actually, Serah had to kick her out of the room, saying she was getting more sick from all the fussing.

Lightning had also recently received troubling information from the people she had looking out for Fang's little sister. The information was vague at best, but it was something she knew she needed to look into as soon as possible.

And Lightning would be lying if she said she wasn't anxious to receive Fang's newest letter. Which is exactly what she'd say if anyone asked.

"Oh!" Vanille held her hands over her mouth, genuine worry in her expression. "Is she going to be okay?" Neither of them had to be reminded of the late queen's passing.

Lightning nodded, though her eyes appeared drawn. "Just a passing thing. I'm told she'll be well in a few days."

"That's good to hear." Vanille dropped her hands, greatly relieved.

There was an awkward length of silence. Vanille was waiting to be dismissed, but the way Lightning shifted on her feet and wrung her hand on the hilt of her sword made her wonder if there was more the princess wanted to say.

"How... Are you well?"

Vanille, who'd been staring at her hands, looked up sharply. She certainly hadn't been expecting _that_. "Of course. Never better." She threw on a smile, but realized too late how weak and shaky it was.

Lightning's eyes narrowed, and Vanille suddenly remembered why she'd been intimidated to begin with. "Fang often talks about you. How you're always smiling and laughing at just about anything. That there isn't a day goes by when you're not cheering everyone else up."

"I've been real busy with my chores, I-" Vanille said quickly, panicking slightly. "I'm just tired. That's all."

"She also said you tend not to wear enough clothes." Lightning looked pointedly at Vanille's long-sleeved, cotton shirt. "She has to force you to dress up when the weather is cold." There was a brilliant sun in the clear blue sky.

"Uh," Vanille took a step back, tucking her arms behind her. "I just-"

Noticing the girl's scared expression, Lightning realized her own position. She was looming over the redhead with her very shadow, staring down at her. Her intent wasn't to frighten, but somehow she always ended up turning such things into an interrogation, as Serah often called it.

If her suspicions were correct, however, now was not the time to play nice.

Lightning took a small step back. "There was another reason I wanted to talk to you. I was hoping you would look after Serah for a time, as I have to be away later today."

Vanille's eyebrows lifted at the abrupt change in topic. Thinking she'd somehow gotten away with her secret, she let her arms drop back to her sides. "Of course I'll-"

"But first-" Lightning interrupted. As quick as her namesake, her hand flashed out, grabbed Vanille's wrist and pulled it up between them. She yanked the sleeve down, revealing hand-sized prints of dark coloring.

Lightning gave the bruises a good, long stare before fixing cool blue eyes on the redhead. "You're going to tell me who did this to you."

...

As soon as Fang woke up, she knew it was going to be the worst day of her life. With unusual apathy, she rolled from her bed and began her rounds about the stables. It was even noisier than usual, all of the stable workers bustling about with an urgency that Fang couldn't feel. The dragons were antsy, sensing something out of the ordinary was happening.

The year's new dragon riders, fresh from the academy, were ready to be assigned their own dragon. And Bahamut, two years of age, was now old enough for a rider. After today, he would belong to someone else.

When Fang stepped into Bahamut's cave, a part of her wished she'd just stayed in bed. The young, but large dragon was curled in on himself, shoulders rising and falling, sleeping soundly despite the cacophony of rampant noises echoing off the rock walls. As Fang approached, he seemed to sense her, grumbling lowly as he dragged his head out across the floor to face her. He blinked and snorted in greeting.

"Hey, big guy. Today's the day," Fang said with false cheer. Bahamut lifted his head from the floor, easily coming level with Fang's eyes.

Fang placed her hands on either side of his muzzle. "Now don't give me that look," she said sternly. "We both knew this day was coming." It didn't feel right, to have to give him to someone else. But she didn't really have a choice.

Bahamut released a puff of breath and affectionately pushed his head against her.

"I'll miss you too, sweetheart." Fang wrapped her arms around his large head and hugged him. "We'll still see each other, though. Just not as much as we used to."

Fang let go and stepped back with a sniff. "Come one, now. Let's get you cleaned up and saddled before we both start crying." Bahamut rose to his feet, shaking his body mightily. He tipped his head back and roared.

Fang laughed, feeling her heart lift. "That's it. We'll show'em what you're made of."

Bahamut growled. If she only knew.

…

Becoming a dragon rider was a great achievement, one that could only be obtained by society's elite. The matching of rider and dragon was treated like an entertainment event where thousands of people gathered within the large, open arena to acknowledge the realms newest, most honored warriors. The families of the dragon riders were there to support their sons and daughters. Commoners, however, took advantage of the rare opportunity to see the dragons up close and quietly hoped for one of them to get especially aggressive. The group of healers weren't there for nothing, after all.

Within the high circle of stone benches, Fang and Bahamut lined up with the other handlers and their dragons. There were beasts of various shapes and sizes, breeds and colors. With his black scales shining, Bahamut looked the most handsome and impressive of them all, and Fang stood proudly next to him, gripping the leash under his chin.

She looked at the row of dragon riders across from them, a few dozen young men and women standing at attention. Fang tried to read who would be best suited for Bahamut. Perhaps she was biased, but no one came close to her standards.

Before the matching process got started, a runner came sprinting across the field toward the dragons, eyes traveling quickly across the handlers until they rested on Fang.

"Excuse me, Miss Fang?"

"Just Fang, actually."

The man bowed low. Fang quirked a brow. The runner straightened and held out a small note. "A message for you, Miss Fang." Fang took the note, giving the man an irritated look as he sped off.

She broke the seal, discovering handwriting that had become all too familiar. And her heart really did not need to _skip_ like that.

_Good luck. I'll be watching._

Fang looked up and around, finding the balcony – behind where she and the dragons stood – slightly removed from the stands. Princess Lightning was there, just within shouting distance, leaning against the railing with both hands. She was wearing a red shoulder cape that fluttered off to the side along with the breeze. Lightning was looking down, and while it should have been difficult to know for sure, Fang knew the princess's gaze was on her. _Felt_ it, more like. Fang smiled at her, barely managing to keep herself from waving like a fool.

Bahamut followed Fang's gaze, twisting his head around. Instead of lighting up like she did, his eyes narrowed and he growled low.

Fang glanced at him, knowing exactly what it was that bothered the dragon. "Not gonna let it go, are you?" She looked back in the direction of the princess. "I don't blame you."

Next to the princess was an old man wearing a tall hat and elegant robes, looking for all the world like he was its one and only ruler. It was obvious this was the royal advisor, Galenth Dysley. Even without knowing what she'd read from Lightning's letters, Fang already disliked him.

Yaag Rosch, the dragon rider academy's head instructor, walked the line of dragons with hands clasped behind his back. Silver hair pulled in a small ponytail, long, pointed bangs framing his face, the man's sharp features looked critically upon the handlers and beasts in front of him.

He came to a stop in front of Fang and Bahamut. While most of the handlers either looked at their feet or stood straight as a board, Fang merely raised a brow at him. Whatever he was thinking, his expression betrayed nothing, and he moved on without comment. Fang wondered if he tried cracking a smile that it might break his face.

After making his assessment, the main event could get started. Rosch began unofficially assigning riders with various dragons. The process of finding a match was more of a trial and error approach because, in the end, it would be the dragon who chose the rider. Finding a match for _every_ dragon and rider was slim, and some would have to wait until after the event to be properly matched.

A tall rider with cropped brown hair and hazel eyes strode confidently toward Fang. His smile was cocky and as he closed the distance, his gate turned to a swagger.

"I had no idea the stables were raising such... _fine_ specimens," he said, his eyes leering.

Fang, not unaccustomed to such advances, decided to ignore the comment. There wasn't much she could do with so many eyes watching. However, she felt Bahamut's small tug on the leash and a quiet growl rumbled through him, making Fang's lips tip up.

Smiling sweetly, Fang said, "Careful. He bites_._" She passed the leash over by punching it into the man's chest, nearly knocking the wind out of him as he grabbed the leash reflexively-

-Bahamut rushed forward without warning, bodily knocking the man off his feet. Moving into a loping gallop, the dragon drug the man across the ground and before he could think to let go, Bahamut whirled around, swinging the chain in a wide arc. With a jerk of his head, the chain was torn from the man's hands and he was flung through the air across the arena.

There were collective murmurs and gasps throughout as the man screamed until he came to a dusty, tumbling stop some yards away. The healers, remembering their job, rushed to him as he squirmed on the ground.

Everyone was watching as Bahamut roared and strutted about. Riders and handlers paused, barely having switched dragons. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, a few brave souls whistling and cheering their approval – '_Yeah!', 'Go Dragon!'_.

Fang smirked. "At-ah boy," she said quietly.

…

The next rider employed a shocking rod. Fang tried to warn her that Bahamut wasn't trained with it, but the cautions of the stable-girl were arrogantly ignored.

Bahamut was tense and still as a snake as the rider hopped into the saddle. A single tap of the rod on Bahamut's hide and he struck. Quick as a slap, the dragon spun his head around, snapped his jaws around the rider and tore her from the saddle. Bahamut whipped his head down and flattened the woman straight into the ground, roaring in fury.

Fang had to step in to keep the dragon from tearing limb from limb, despite the growing cheers from the stands.

…

The silver-haired young man who came next showed some hope. Even Fang thought so, at first. He managed to keep Bahamut calm as he strapped into the saddle.

Bahamut was so calm, in fact, he was nearly asleep, and none of the man's prodding and shouting – not to mention eager calls from the crowd – could get him to budge.

…

Most of the dragons had been paired off by now, and Bahamut was easily holding center stage. The current rider, however, had Fang scowling so hard her head began to ache.

Grasping Bahamut's leash in one hand, the handsome, dark-haired rider faced the princess's balcony and bowed low.

"Your Highness, if I may speak," the man called to her with his melodic voice.

"You may," Lightning said curtly.

"I have dedicated my life in service to you, dear lady. I vow I will tame this mighty dragon in your name, that I might some day grace a kiss upon your lovely hand."

Fang hadn't given it any thought before. But of course, the princess was young, beautiful and unmarried, soon to be the next queen. She would have had plenty of potential suitors come to her and pine for her attention. The idea made Fang clench her teeth even more, her mind sweeping back through all the letters she'd read from the princess. Not one of them had said anything about a potential partner, but Lightning wouldn't exactly write about such personal matters, would she?

Lightning leaned on the balcony railing. "What is your name, sir?"

Fang wished for all she was worth to be able to read Lightning's mind in that moment. But her face was a mask fit for card games and her voice held absolute control.

"Sir Dale Whimsy of Nautilus, Your Highness," he said, bowing again.

Lightning said evenly, "Sir Whimsy. Your service is duly noted, and I wish you luck in completing your vow."

The man was smiling winningly, until a beastly grunt and a puff of breath mussed with his hair. The rider turned around and came nose to nose with a _very_ impatient Bahamut. The dragon opened his maw wide and roared so fiercely the rider stumbled back as though the very ground shook. Bahamut swatted the unworthy man to the side with a sweep of his foot. At the audience's sudden thunder of cheers, Bahamut charged into him, pushing and rolling him around with his nose.

Fang hurried over. Well, _hurried_ is a relative term. The dragon was only playing, she would say later. She did, at least, manage to stop Bahamut from killing or seriously injuring him.

...

Bahamut's matching didn't get any better as the day wore on, and the dragon was only getting more frustrated with each new rider. In Fang's opinion, it was all going remarkably well, but she was _suppose_ to _want_ her trained dragon to find a rider. It was her job to make Bahamut a suitable companion.

However, after the twelfth rider was tasting dirt and yelling for a healer, some were starting to think she hadn't done her job at all.

Yaag Rosch approached Fang, a scowl upon his scowl. "Did you train this dragon, girl?"

"That's right," Fang said, lifting her chin.

"Are you sure? Because most _trained_ dragons don't try to tear apart nearly _every_ person who tries to ride them."

Fang glared at him, folding her arms. "Did you train those riders? Because I'm not sure _they_ know what they're doing."

"How dare-"

"Instructor Rosch, that is enough," came a deep, commanding voice. Fang and the academy instructor looked up sharply.

Royal Advisor Galenth Dysley was striding toward them, having left the balcony moments ago. Princess Lightning walked beside him with a concerned expression on her face when her eyes met Fang's. Flanking them was a small contingent of veteran dragon riders, most of whom Fang had seen or met around the stables, who had been watching the event – and Bahamut – with great interest.

"It seems what we have here," Dysley began, spreading his arms out slightly and glancing around at his small audience, "is a very dangerous dragon. One that perhaps no one is capable of riding. If such were true, there would be no reason to keep the beast stabled, and he should be removed permanently."

Fang opened her mouth to retort, but was quickly cut off by Lightning. "There is one person who can ride him," the princess said, staring evenly at the advisor before nodding her head towards Fang. "His handler. No one else can control him like she does. You've all seen how he listens to her."

"You're still going on about this, Your Highness?" One of the dragon riders, a pretty woman with incredibly long, blonde hair, scoffed. "With all due respect, you make it sound like the legends where one could talk to dragons. Ridiculous. That beast has chosen no one and should be put down before it kills someone."

Fang stepped forward. "_What_-"

"You think it so farfetched, Nabaat? That he could have bonded with someone of dragon blood?" Lightning countered, simultaneously cutting Fang off again. The princess gave Fang the smallest of head shakes.

"Of course," the blonde woman said, smiling in a way that made Fang uneasy. "It's been over a century since there has been any record of a person with dragon blood. And I highly doubt this... _stable_-girl has been conjuring dragon magic without anyone taking notice."

A person with dragon blood? Magic? These were all things Fang had never heard before. There were individuals, like the princess, who could use small amounts of magic, but that was no secret and had nothing to do with dragons. They were talking about a different level entirely.

"Is it really so hard to imagine?" asked a dark-skinned rider, who Fang recognized as a man named Sazh. A bit rough around the edges, for a dragon rider, he was one of Fang's favorite people to talk to whenever he was at the stables. He rode a beautiful red female dragon named Brynhildr. "It's obvious that dragon isn't gonna let just anybody walk up and throw a picnic with him. I say we let the girl show us what she can do."

There were nods of ascent until the royal advisor held up his hand to command everyone's attention.

Dysley spoke with measured patience, as though to keep his listeners hanging on every word. "We cannot let just _any_one become a dragon rider, much less a mere peasant. It is an honored title that should be protected from such demeaning rabble." Dysley looked upon Fang with supercilious disdain. "They might forget their place."

Lightning stepped in front of Dysley, drawing his attention to her. "Be that as it may, that dragon has potential. He just needs a greater rider than what we've seen today."

As if playing into his cards, Dysley's cruel smile held a small amount of triumph. "If you're so adamant that the dragon is not lost," he gestured dramatically out to Bahamut, "then why don't you show us how tameable he is, fair princess." Bahamut was running up and down along the edges of the arena, loose now after throwing his recent rider.

Lightning paused for just a moment, clearly not expecting this challenge from Dysley. But it was a challenge they both knew she would not turn away from. She began marching towards Bahamut before anyone could stop her.

"But she knows nothing of dragons," someone argued.

It was Fang, just now remembering something, who called out to her. "Wait a minute, Lightning, he's-"

Rosch roughly grabbed her by the shoulder. "You speak so informally to the princess?" Fang grimaced. She hadn't meant to let that slip. It's just the way she'd always thought of her through their letters.

"Rosch," Lightning said, turning abruptly to face them. "She may speak as she likes."

Fang gave Rosch a pointed look as he removed his hand. Making a small show of straightening and dusting off her shirt, Fang trotted over to the princess.

"So I can speak now, can I?" Fang said in a low voice so only Lightning could hear.

"You don't know the games these people play, and I know how you like to cross the line," Lightning responded tersely, then her eyes slipped away from Fang's. "I was only trying to protect you."

Fang eased back. She knew Lightning was telling the truth, and she was obviously an ally amidst adversaries. Fang was traversing unfamiliar ground and needed to control herself or the situation might end up worse than their last meeting. They were as close now as they'd ever been since their letter-writing began.

And Fang's next thoughts evaporated as she became aware of Lightning's rose-like scent.

Behind jagged locks of pink hair, Lightning's eyes were narrowed, cool and calculating. She stood tall and confident, turned slightly away from Fang, a hand resting easily on the hilt of the sword belted at her waist. Her breathing steady and even, hardly shifting her shoulders and chest, though Fang took notice of the movement anyway.

The princess's perfectly tailored black vest, with a high, open collar, fit snug over a white shirt with loose flowing sleeves ending at tapered cuffs. The red shoulder cape draped loosely down her back and along form-fitting black trousers. Polished boots gathered a thin layer of dust.

She looked... rather dashing, actually.

Lightning's cheeks flushed from Fang's blatant staring, an alluring contrast to her pale skin and pink hair, and the way the princess's azure eyes were hardening wasn't helping with Fang's ability to function.

"Was there something you needed to tell me?" Lightning asked, trying to be curt but inwardly wincing at how breathless she sounded. "Bahamut knows me, I don't see what the problem is."

Fang blinked, forcefully pulling herself out of her daze as she now recalled what she wanted to say. "Right, well, about that..." she started, searching for the right words. "He's been a little upset lately that you haven't come to visit him."

Lightning stared at her. "What?"

"He really likes you, and he was disappointed that you might not want to see him," Fang tried to explain. "He thinks you've forgotten about him."

Lightning's brow furrowed. "A dragon is upset he may be losing friends?"

"What, just because he's a dragon he can't be sensitive? He holds a grudge like you wouldn't believe."

"Did you _explain_ to him that I'm not even allowed to be around dragons?"

Fang gave Lightning a reproachful look. "He only understands so much, princess," Fang said, pausing. "Though it might not have helped that I sort of agreed with him."

Lightning slowly closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You have got to be kidding me."

Someone coughed loudly, gaining their attention. It was Sazh. "Ladies, we have an audience," he called to them.

Lightning cast a look around the arena. "Right. How upset is he?"

The look Fang gave her made her swallow. "I really should come with you, just in case."

Lightning thought about it. She looked past Fang to the tall, old man that continued to glare, still arrogantly challenging her.

"No. I need to do this myself." Fang opened her mouth to protest. "_Trust_ me. Please."

The princess's blue eyes were looking at Fang with earnest and the stable-girl felt herself nodding. What else could she do? "Okay, but," Fang lowered her head, "if... if he does something to you, they'll..."

Lightning waved a hand to stop her. "And if I do nothing, they'll put him down anyway. They may even go after you. That is not going to happen," Lightning said, steel returning to her eyes. She turned to the group that had been watching them. "I don't want anyone to help me. Make sure everyone stays back."

The princess walked alone towards the dragon.

…

Bahamut, having thrown the last rider a while ago, was watching the crowd as curiously as they were watching him. Wherever he moved, their eyes followed. Many of the people were clapping and waving to him, which he was incredibly delighted by. He really wanted to get a closer look, but he knew he wasn't suppose to leave the arena floor.

Instead he strode about in front of them, roaring or shooting small puffs of fire from his nostrils. The people cheered and Bahamut had a small skip in his step with all the attention directed at him.

It wasn't long before he realized the people were starting to turn their attention away from him. A sharp whistle brought his head around and he inhaled a familiar scent...

…

Lightning watched with apprehension as Bahamut turned to face her, massive wings flaring, tail whipping. His head perked up, appearing happy to see her...

...then a growl rumbled low in his throat and his head lowered. Lightning saw the quick transformation from friend to foe. There was no turning back now. No place to run and hide.

But Lightning had no intention of running.

Bahamut circled, inching closer every few steps. Lightning turned with him, keeping him in sight and away from her back. The dragon's heavily muscled limbs gave the illusion of slow, bulky movement, but Lightning had seen the speed of his strike.

When Bahamut lunged, Lightning was already on the tips of her toes. She hopped away, just barely dodging the chomping jaws. Bahamut was lunging again. Lightning backflipped, red cape twirling away as Bahamut's maw snapped where she'd been standing.

The moment her feet touched down, she knew she'd be too slow for the sweeping claws that knocked her aside a second later.

Lightning rolled across the ground, just managing to get control of her limbs to land in a crouch on her feet. A piercing pain made her glance at her arm. There was a long gash there, blood oozing across the ripped, white sleeve.

"Tch." A quick gesture from her hand, a pool of blue-white light, and the skin knit itself back together.

The crowd was in an uproar, but the noise faded from Lightning's senses as she focused everything on the beast before her. Adrenaline pumped through her body, every cell alive for a fight like she'd never had in her life.

Bahamut stalked forward, nostrils flaring. This was no simple grudge anymore. He was testing her, just as he'd tested all those riders before. Her title meant nothing, only raw skill and determination would help her here.

Lightning took one step forward, readying her stance.

"Right."

Bahamut roared and charged. Lightning sprinted forward. Just as Bahamut reared his head back to strike, Lightning dropped to her side, sliding in a spray of dust as Bahamut's snout crushed into the ground above her. _Boom boom boom_ his feet stomped around her as her momentum propelled her under his belly. Lightning rolled, catching her feet under her and leaped for the tail curled toward her. Bahamut twisted as her hands grasped the end of the tail, his jaws snapping air as his own appendage flung the princess away from him.

Lightning held on as the tail whipped to the dragon's other side, releasing with her hands at the last moment to swing herself up into the air, curling her body and executing several backflips before she came to land in the middle of Bahamut's back.

In a frenzy as his prey continued to elude, Bahamut's head came around again, throwing himself into the twist, his front feet lifting from the ground. Lightning jumped as Bahamut's head passed over his back. His weight thrown off center, the dragon failed to catch himself and he tumbled over in a rolling heap.

Lightning landed in a graceful crouch, cape sweeping around her, as Bahamut squirmed and kicked on his back, stirring a dusty cloud around him.

When he finally managed to roll to his feet, Bahamut's dark head popped straight up, looking around until he spotted her. There was a moment of stillness. Then his tail started wagging, a jitter coursing through his body, and, with an expression Lightning could have sworn was a smile, Bahamut playfully hopped over to her. He dipped his head to nudge her, forcing a smile out of the princess even as she was nearly knocked over.

Chuckling softly as Bahamut bounded around her, continuing to push her with his nose, Lightning finally raised a hand to him, fingers up, palm facing out. "Okay, enough," she said gently. The young dragon wanted to play, but now wasn't the time.

Bahamut grunted contently and pushed his nose into her hand, warm breath puffing from his nostrils. There were murmurs growing from the audience as they watched the beastly dragon settle in front of the princess.

"I know I'm not the one," Lightning said softly, bringing both hands to rest on Bahamut's muzzle. "But I need you to trust me."

Bahamut grunted easily, pushing against her hands. Lightning was moving to Bahamut's side when the dragon pushed her with his head, almost knocking her over again, and gave her a look.

Lightning rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'll come visit you." Bahamut rumbled deep in his chest, eyes happy.

Lightning jumped into the saddle, settling herself as best she could. It was apparent in her brief discomfort that she had never done this before. There were no reins to grab hold of so she gripped the saddle instead. She had a momentary twinge of panic because she knew none of the commands for directing a dragon.

It didn't seem to matter because Bahamut, after a brief look to check on her, moved on his own. He loped forward, flaring and flapping his purple wings until he had the speed to lift himself into the air. Lightning clung to the saddle as the movement jerked her around and her stomach dropped.

…

It was incredible. Fang couldn't take her eyes from the pair as dragon and princess sailed over them, the rush of wind tossing her hair.

Bahamut banked at one end of the arena, coming around to swoop above the crowds that found themselves on their feet and cheering for their beloved princess.

Bahamut soon lined up with Fang where she stood by the royal advisor and dragon riders. He glided forward at a steady decline. The group scattered, all but Fang, as Bahamut landed heavily and without regard to any who might find themselves underfoot. They muttered curses through swirls of dust and ducked away from the dragon's wings and flicking tail.

Lightning, flushed and windswept, raised herself from the saddle.

"Wait, Lightning, he's gonna-" Bahamut shook his whole body in a large shrug, the movement catching Lightning unprepared and she pitched over the dragon's side. Fang rushed forward and caught the falling princess about the waist, grunting as the slim body fell into hers. Bahamut continued to raise a noisy fuss, a flared wing half covering the pair.

Lightning's forearms braced on Fang's shoulders, and she raised her head. Their eyes were inches apart as Fang continued to support her weight, arms locked strong around her back.

Fang's heart thudded in her chest, but it was no longer because of the previous excitement. That whole display, watching Lightning dance toe-to-toe with Bahamut. It was unlike anything she'd seen.

Lightning's lips were parted slightly above her, panting from the exhilarating flight through the air. Her eyes sparkled. There were marks of dirt across her face.

_Beautiful_. The shift in Lightning's eyes told Fang she'd accidentally said it out loud.

Someone clapped loudly next to them. "Impressive, Your Highness. Very impressive." The pair broke eye contact to see Sazh giving them a pointed look as if to say _'you're not alone here_'.

Startled, Fang immediately set the princess down, only then realizing the red cape that had wrapped itself around both of them, hugging to Fang's neck. What Fang didn't expect was for Lightning to linger a moment longer, eyes matching hers. One hand slowly slipped the cape off while the other hand trailed from Fang's shoulder and partway down her arm before dropping away.

"Thank you," Lightning breathed. Fang nodded numbly, not entirely sure what she was being thanked for.

As the dust settled, the princess turned to address the gathering people around her. Fang felt a nudge and turned to a 'grinning' Bahamut.

Fang returned a smirk. "Show off." Bahamut hummed, a sound Fang knew to be his way of laughing. She pushed on his head, chuckling. "Oh hush, you. Gonna gloat, do it on your own time."

A short while later, having settled a few matters that set a permanent frown to Dysley's face, Lightning approached her and Bahamut. Fang grinned at her, casually folding her arms.

"So what now, princess?"

"Bahamut is to be given to me."

Fang's smile faltered, feeling an odd twist in her stomach. She never wanted to have to part with the dragon, but that was always how it had had to be. Knowing that didn't make it any easier, but she could not have chosen a better rider. "He can be a real handful," Fang commented.

"I know. And I won't always have time to look after him," Lightning smiled softly. "That's why I thought I'd hire someone to be his caretaker. Who will be able to continue his training. Someone I, and Bahamut, can trust. "

Fang's eyes brightened at that and her smile returned fully. "Well, you're gonna need the best, Your Highness."

…

The inner palace gardens were always beautiful, no matter the time of year. All types of flowers, even a few trees, spread across an acre of ground. A couple of ponds were home to colorful fish. Statues and archways accentuated the magical, peaceful feel.

It was here, a few days after the events in the arena, that Fang met Vanille, holding onto her hand as she stared at her arm.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Fang asked fiercely.

Vanille tried to pull away, tears coming to her eyes. The bruises were healing rather well, but there was just enough discoloration for her sister to fly into a fury.

"Because there was nothing you could have done! It was a noble, and I know you would have tried to kill him."

"Bloody right I'll kill him, 'cause you're gonna tell me-"

Vanille stamped her foot. "No! It would just get you thrown in the dungeons. Besides, he's already been sentenced away."

Fang quirked a brow, halting in confusion. "What do you mean? Someone caught him?"

Vanille bit her lip, looking away. "I'm not supposed to tell."

Fang grit her teeth for a while, but forced herself to relax. She sighed, swallowing her anger for a moment. "He didn't... you know?"

Vanille shook her head, and the relief was overwhelming. "He just threatened me a couple times. I broke his nose. It was kind of an accident, though."

Fang chuckled lightly, tapping Vanille's forehead with a fist. Her little sister was easy to underestimate. "'Course it was. But, Vanille," Fang gripped the redhead's thin shoulders, looking her in the eye. "Why would you lie to me?"

Vanille's chin tipped down. "You never told me about when you were being whipped by the stable master." Fang's eyes widened, surprised at her sister's easy observation. _Easily underestimated, no doubt._ "I know you were doing it to protect me, even though I wanted to help." Vanille's hands fisted at her sides. "I wanted to protect you, too. I'm sorry." Her shoulders shook with a sob.

Fang pulled her into a comforting hug. "So am I," Fang said, letting Vanille cry into her shoulder. "It won't happen again, okay?" Vanille nodded. Fang closed her eyes, sighing. "I'm just glad you're alright." _Even if I can't wring the bastard's neck._

A few minutes passed until Vanille quieted, and Fang pulled away slightly. Vanille wiped at her tears. "Now, what was the other thing you wanted to tell me?" Fang asked gently.

"I can answer that." Fang looked up. Walking toward them was a short, pink-haired young girl with a lite blanket wrapped around her shoulders. "You must be Fang."

Princess Serah stopped in front of them, smiling. "So you're the one."

Fang quirked a brow. "Sorry?"

Still smiling, Serah shook her head. "I've been waiting a long time to meet you. Vanille talks about you all the time." _Among other people._

Fang chuckled, bowing her head. "You look a lot like your sister, Highness. Less likely to bite, though." Fang also didn't have an overwhelming desire to challenge her.

Serah laughed, coughing a little into her hand. "So I've been told before, just not in those words."

Vanille moved to Serah's side. "Are you sure you should be walking around?"

Serah nodded. "I'm fine, really. If I have to stay in bed any longer, I'll go crazy."

"So, what's this news I keep hearing about?" Fang asked.

Vanille was nearly hopping on her toes as Serah answered. "Vanille is going to be moved out of the kitchens. She'll be working as my personal attendant from now on."

Fang's eyes widened. "R-really?"

Vanille really was hopping now. "And I have permission to come visit you at the stables."

Fang grinned, looking at her sister. "That's great! I take it you two get along well." They both nodded. Fang felt her heart lift. As an attendant to the princess, Vanille would be much safer. And happier, apparently.

The trio conversed a while longer, until Fang caught movement through one of the archways in another section of the garden. She excused herself.

It was a small area. A fountain was built into one of the walls, clear water trickling down from several holes. A small, ornate bridge stretched over the tiny river that ran across the room. Fang just stepped over the stream.

On the far end were wide, open arched windows separated by thin, circular columns. An old tree was planted in the corner, its branches reaching through the closest window and continuing to grow along the outside.

To the left of the tree, Princess Lightning leaned on her elbows at one of the windows. Fang walked up beside her on the other side of a column and mimicked the position.

The sun was beginning to set, orange rays spilling across the clouds in the sky. It cast a warm tone on the pair.

"Y'know," Fang started, first to break the silence. "You haven't answered the question in my last letter."

Lightning continued to watch the clouds. "There are others who know it. It hasn't been that long."

"I want to hear it from you."

She cast a look at Fang, who was watching her. "It's Claire. That was my name," she answered.

Fang smiled, returning her eyes to the sky. "I used to think you were trying to forget about that time. When you first came to the stables."

There was a long silence before Lightning answered. "I did try to forget. It was... not an easy time." Fang was watching her again, eyes gentle. "A lot of people were counting on me, and I knew I had to become stronger. For Serah. For the kingdom. In order to do that I thought I needed to forget about my past, including what happened at the stables. Including you." Lightning looked at Fang, smiling a little. "Look how that turned out."

"Guess I can't really blame you," Fang said, looking away for a moment. When she looked back, there was a smirk on her lips and sunlight dancing in her eyes. "I am pretty unforgettable, after all."

Lightning's breath caught, but she couldn't stop the laughter as it softly bubbled up inside her. Fang joined in with the rare, lovely sound. They were unable to quit and soon they were only laughing because it felt so good.

After they quieted for a while, Fang started fidgeting with her fingers. "You've, uh, helped me out a lot."

"Hm?"

"I know you're the one who helped Vanille."

Lightning looked away. "I would have done no different were it my sister."

Fang keyed in to that statement like a moth to flame, not sure if the princess knew exactly what it meant to her. She probably did. Fang held her sister above all else, something Lightning no doubt understood. "Probably no chance you'll tell me where the bastard is, eh?"

Lightning shook her head. "He won't be able to hurt anyone anymore."

Fang nodded, having to be content with that. "On top of that, you clocked the stable master for me – don't think I ever told you what a beautiful punch that was, by the way. You saved Bahamut and kept me with him. Had a hand in Vanille's promotion, I'm sure. " Fang watched Lightning from the corner of her eye. The way the sun caught her hair, eyes, and lips was mesmerizing. "I should probably thank you."

"That's not necessary."

"Well, in that case," Fang said, stepping slowly away from the window, fingers sliding off the sill. "Maybe I should get some... compensation."

Lightning glanced up, straightening away from the window as Fang was suddenly much closer. "What?"

Fang rested a hand lightly on the column that had stood between her and the princess, the other hand on her hip. She shrugged casually, appearing thoughtful. "Yeah, I mean. I spent all that time raising Bahamut, and you just come in and get to ride him. There were those two blokes you knocked out before I could get my hands on them myself." Fang took a small step closer, fingers trailing down the column and onto the sill that Lightning now gripped with one hand.

A color crept into the princess's cheeks, and her eyes latched onto Fang's moving hand.

Fang continued stepping forward, the tone of her voice dropping. "I really think. I should get... something. In return."

Lightning didn't realize she was backing up until she bumped into the tree. "Don't be ri-"

Fang stepped ever closer, hand falling away from the sill, ghosting up between Lightning's side and arm to rest against the tree. Fang leaned in, acutely aware of Lightning's shallow breathing as her own fanned across the princess's cheek.

Lightning's eyes drifted shut as Fang moved close to her ear. And then she whispered, "Strawberries are my favorite." Fang pulled away just slightly, voice returning to normal. "If you could get me some I'd call us eve- _umph-_"

Lightning's startled eyes popped open as she removed her fist from Fang's ribs. Fang was choking on laughter as she ducked under the princess's follow up punch and used the momentum to push her away.

Fang guffawed, searching for her breath as she backed away. "I mean, I know they're hard to come by this time of year," Lightning came at her again and Fang used the bridge to put space between them, "but _really_." Fang had to clutch her side, knowing there would be a real marker there later. Was it worth having the princess chase after her?

_Absolutely._

"I was certain that in your position," Fang continued, a grin splitting her face. Lightning growled as they feinted back and forth on opposite sides of the bridge. "you could get some quite easily."

Lightning hissed, "_Fang_." She gripped the railing on the bridge and flung herself over the top. Fang dove under the bridge at the same time, coming up slightly drenched on the other side but with a clear shot of the exit.

Vanille and Serah were sitting on a bench together, conversing quietly. Vanille looked up and gasped with both hands over her mouth, a gesture mirrored by Serah, as a dripping Fang went sailing past them, laughing her head off and clutching her side, with Lightning hot on her heels.

Serah frowned with worry until she saw her sister and smiled instead.

Because Lightning was smiling, too.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Fun Fact: I really wanted the people in the audience to do the Wave for Bahamut as he's looking at them, but I thought it might be just a little silly. Maybe. Just a little bit.

I realize there could be some Verah hints here. My intention is for them to be friends, but even while writing it I was like '_Attendant? orly?'_ So you can interpret it however you like.

For Anon's question: _Can Fang fight in this story?_ - I would happily answer this here, except we're going to find out in the very next chapter :)


	4. Chapter 4

The roses were not doing well. While the rest of the meadow was blooming beautifully, the flowers Fang had planted looked sad and weak, the petals sagging as though giving up on life.

Only one other person knew she had a secret passion for gardening, and that little redhead was currently frolicking through the flowers with Bahamut. Well, Vanille was frolicking. The dragon didn't know any better than stomping.

Fang frowned at the pathetic flowers. What stopped her from planting anything before was simply time and available land. But with her duties becoming less of a strain in recent months, she was able to find this unowned meadow to begin her project. The benefits of being the keeper for the princess's dragon meant fewer stable duties as she really only had to look after Bahamut these days.

There was a squeal of laughter that brought Fang's head up. Vanille was playing hide-and-seek in the tall grass, and Bahamut had apparently just found her. A deep rumble from the dragon signaled his own amusement, and he wagged his tail across the ground. Fang internally winced at all the flowers that suffered from it.

He'd grown larger. His head was as big as a person, his body over sixty feet from snout to tail with a wingspan just as wide. Spikes protruded from various places along his arms and back. Still, for a three year old he acted very much like a newborn at times.

Fang continued watching them play until she felt an ache in her head and her vision blurred.

_Dammit, not again._

She tried to call Vanille, but the blood was already starting to pool out her nose and ears, and she choked on it as it filled her mouth. The world spun and she had no sense of what was happening or how much time had passed until she heard her name called.

_Fang..._

"Fang... Fang please wake up."

She was slow to come around, but eventually she could feel the ground beneath her and a cloth running over her face. She could hear Bahamut's heavy breathing nearby, the wind as it played along the grass, and Vanille's quiet sniffles.

Fang forced her eyes open, blinking rapidly. Her senses always became much more acute during these episodes, her sight and hearing mostly.

"Please say something."

She just groaned loudly, sitting up and dropping her head in a hand.

"Fang!" Vanille cried and threw herself forward, burying her head in the elder's chest.

"Hey," Fang said, bringing her hand to cradle the back of Vanille's head. "Shh, I'm okay. Everything's okay." She gently rocked the younger girl. "I wouldn't leave you like that, you hear me?" Vanille sniffed and nodded under Fang's chin. Bahamut moved his head closer and she rested her free hand against his nose in comfort.

Vanille pulled away and gripped Fang's arms tightly in her small hands. "Have you talked to Princess Lightning about this yet?"

Fang scratched her head sheepishly, looking away. "No, she's been real busy lately. And there's always other people around." Which was true. For all the free time she had now, Lightning had more work to do as her eighteenth birthday was tomorrow. She would soon officially wear the crown and title of a queen. Fang really tried not to think about it, as the position would only serve to draw them further apart.

Did the princess think about that, too? Or was it merely her own fantasy that could never reach reality?

Vanille scowled at Fang. "I don't care. I've been so worried about you. This isn't normal, what if you have a disease or something? It could kill you. Maybe all the princess needs to do is use her magic to heal it."

"It's perfectly normal to bleed every month-"

Vanille actually slapped her on the arm. "Fang, I'm serious."

Fang sighed. "Fine. I promise I'll talk to her when I get a chance."

"Good. Now, we'd better get going so you can wash up. You're going to be late for practice, and I think the princess is going to be joining today."

Fang lurched to her feet. "We better hurry then," she said, excitement in her voice. She grabbed Vanille and threw the giggling girl over her shoulder before vaulting onto Bahamut's back.

The wind from the dragon's wings stirred the roses, where Fang's blood dripped from one of the petals and onto the soil beneath.

…

Lightning was an artist with a sword. She faced off against three of the palace guard who were doing their level best to keep up with their princess. The leather practice armor they wore didn't provide nearly enough mobility to keep them out of harm's way, and plate may have been better to protect against the bruises they were sure to have from Lightning's precise and brutal strikes.

It was mesmerizing to watch her move. Fluid as a dancer, she evaded the attacks of her opponents more by dodging than actually parrying, not that she wasn't skilled with the latter. Her eyes were direct and focused, with a touch of amusement and satisfaction. Her breath was steady and even. Her hair swayed with her movements, brushing her face. Droplets of sweat were sliding down her neck-

_Whack!_

Fang swore, clutching the side of her head as her watery eyes were forcefully knocked away from the princess. It didn't help that her heightened senses had yet to calm down from her last bloody episode, and they'd all sharpened on her object of interest. Like an adolescent teenager struggling with coordination during a growth spurt, she didn't know how to handle all the information her senses were bombarding her with.

Growling lowly, she turned her attention to her own opponent, a tall, blond man of the same age.

Snow winced sympathetically, lowering his practice staff. "Sorry, Fang. That's the third time you didn't block it."

Fang sighed with a shake of her head. "I know. It's not your fault." Snow was an ex-stable worker and longtime friend of Fang's. He'd recently joined the military, wanting to be a hero. The two were consistent training partners after Fang had made a teasing remark to Princess Lightning once about how she'd be a better fighter than her after some training. While she had been in a number of scraps, especially in her younger days when fending for Vanille and herself, there hadn't been enough money for formal training.

Snow followed Fang's gaze. He'd known her long enough for even him to figure out who was on her mind. For it to be the princess, of all people, that had caught Fang's attention never phased him, and he'd been nothing if not supportive, as he always was. "Y'know, she's probably not going to notice you if you keep getting beaten. Or if she does, it's not gonna look good for you." This logic earned him a heavy scowl.

Fang had yet to actually face off against the princess. Considering her own current skill level, and how even three well-trained guards were stumbling over themselves to get out of Lightning's path, Fang had a ways to go.

She set her teeth and stance with renewed determination, beckoning to Snow. "Come on then, let's see what you've got."

Snow grinned widely, mirroring the stance. "That's the way!"

Fang had to smile, too. One of the things she liked most about Snow was his energy, and she used it to fuel her next assault.

…

Lightning observed Fang from the corner of her eye, almost unable to hide her smile when one of the recruits knocked the woman alongside the head. She was secretly thrilled at the prospect of Fang sparring with her. She knew Fang wouldn't hold any punches from her. While the guards she faced were exceptional, they wouldn't dare to strike at their princess in a way that could accidentally do damage.

A look to the other side of the field brought Bahamut into view. He was basking lazily in the sun, sometimes even turning on his back to warm his belly. One of the privileges of being the princess's dragon was that he didn't have to remain cooped up in the stables all day.

It was refreshing for Lightning herself to be out and away from royal duties. Dysley was driving her insane, and her sparring opponents were unfortunately bearing the brunt of her building anger. There was also the ridiculous birthday party that was being held for her that evening, before tomorrow's ceremony when she would finally be crowned the ruler of Cocoon...

A shift in the wind along with the thrum of flapping wings caught her attention. Lightning held up a hand to halt the sparring session and everyone looked to the sky.

Nearly a dozen dragons were flying toward them in formation. Lips thinning, Lightning recognized Jihl Nabaat at the lead atop a relatively small green and silver dragon. _Commander _Jihl Nabaat, Lightning corrected herself. Another one of Dysley's decisions that she did not agree with. It baffled her, too, because they all knew she would take that title away as soon as she was able. Jihl was capable in many ways, but her methods were often questionable.

The group landed their mounts with a defining rumble of the earth. How Jihl didn't get her long hair caught on anything Lightning would never know, but she dismounted with practiced ease, as did her followers.

"Your Highness," Jihl said, bowing formally along with the others. "I thought perhaps we could have a joint training session between the guards and dragon riders. Instructor Rosch is away on an assignment, and I thought it an excellent opportunity for some healthy competition."

Lightning watched her momentarily before turning to the head guard who'd swiftly approached. "That's up to Drill Sergeant Amodar."

Amodar was, and had always been, a loyal and trustworthy friend of the royal family. He'd begun training Lightning as soon as she was able to hold a sword.

He gave her a cautious look. "I see no harm in it," he said, turning to Jihl. "Will you be joining as well, Commander?"

Jihl tilted her head and touched her glasses, as if carefully considering the question. "I wonder if the princess would honor me with a match."

Lightning's expression was neutral. "That's fine. Do you have a weapon preference?"

"I believe we both favor the sword. First to touch?" Jihl smiled. It almost looked polite. The bet was a daring one to make, but both women knew Lightning would never step down from the challenge. She nodded her agreement.

The rest of the dragon riders filtered over to the guards, with Amodar barking orders to pair up. Lightning's previous opponents bowed to her and wordlessly joined the others. Jihl drew her sword and stepped forward.

Whatever their thoughts might be, they were left unspoken as their blades hovered within inches of one another. They slowly circled. Lightning's footwork was near perfect, but Jihl was no slouch either. The commander also held more experience in real combat. It was not going to be an easy fight.

Lightning struck first. She stepped forward with a swift, thrusting attack that Jihl managed to block and sidestep with relative ease, but Lightning followed through in a series of strikes that kept the other moving and on the defensive.

Perhaps it was going to be easy... No, Lightning could see that amused wrinkle in the commander's eyes. They'd faced each other often enough across a table in heated debates, and she'd learned early on how to read the shorter woman. The commander was toying with her, testing her. It frustrated Lightning enough that she made her first slip.

Steel sang as swords slid against each other, and Lightning barely managed to dodge the counterattack. Then it was all she could do as Jihl made an abrupt change in her tactics and lashed out with fast, vicious strikes that had Lightning backpedaling. Her eyes could barely follow the blur of Jihl's movements, having to block on pure reflex and instinct.

She was almost surprised at the opening she found, a split second's hesitation and she would have missed it. She drove her sword against Jihl's, using her momentum to twist around and push her away, creating distance and a chance to collect herself.

The commander paused. "Very good, Your Highness. You've been taught well."

Though Lightning's heart raced, her breath was even and her eyes remained cool and distant. But she felt herself smile. She knew Jihl had allowed that opening. However infuriating she found the woman, she was a worthy challenge. This was no longer a poorly paid guard standing before her, but someone who could match her toe-to-toe.

"Are you going to actually fight now, or do you still need to warm up?" Lightning called out, readying her blade.

Jihl chuckled and brandished her own sword, looking calm and collected as ever. Lightning was about to step in when she heard a scream of pain that made her veins run cold and her heart nearly stop.

…

Amodar called for them to split up and Snow gave Fang a sloppy salute before jogging away to find another sparring partner. Fang merely nodded to him, her eyes directed to Lightning and the dragon rider's commander beginning to square off.

With a little sigh, Fang looked around to see who was going to be her partner. The man approaching her wasn't really paying attention as he chattered with his friends. But Fang knew he was familiar, and it took a moment for her to remember. It was the first idiot who'd insulted her and tried to ride Bahamut during the matching event. The man finally waved his friends off and looked at her, showing the same recognition.

His eyes wavered in the direction of Bahamut, who was sitting contently amongst the other dragons. The man's shoulders relaxed slightly, seeing no immediate threat.

"Well well, looks like you've risen in the world." His smile was arrogant. "Princess's bitch, is it?"

Fang merely raised a brow at him. He was obviously still sore about being humiliated in front of thousands of people. "Puts me closer to her than you'll ever be."

His smile faltered. He picked up a practice staff, muttering about having to use 'sticks'. Fang was a little curious at his lack of a comeback. Perhaps he really had a thing for the princess. Which wasn't all that surprising, actually. Lightning no doubt turned more than a few heads, even without being heir to the throne.

"Not like it matters," the man said, scowling at her. "She'll have to wed soon. There's already talk of who the potential candidates are."

Too late, Fang allowed her eyes to widen in surprise, and the man caught onto it immediately. His crooked smile was back. Perhaps he wasn't as dumb as he looked.

"Haven't you heard? There's Duke Cid Raines of Lindblum, a champion dragon rider whom all the women fawn over. My money's on him." The man twirled the practice staff lazily, watching Fang closely. "Then there's Count Bartholomew Estheim of Palumpolum, though he's a bit old. His son graduated from the academy with me, so maybe it'll be him instead. Either way, the princess will have a husband to wear the crown with her. You won't be so close to her then, will you?"

Fang growled suddenly and leaped at the man with a hard, vertical strike. He nearly lost his footing, but never his infuriating smile, and quickly pushed Fang back. As angry as she was, she just didn't have the experience and training that this dragon rider did. There was a hard blow to her side, but other than a stiff grunt, she showed no signs of pain and redoubled her efforts against him.

"He'll be with her every day, you know," the man continued, his taunting voice a little strained as he had to concentrate on blocking the fury of blows directed at him. "Dancing with her, sharing meals together. And you'll be back to cleaning dragon dung."

The growl that tore through Fang's throat sounded almost animalistic.

"He'll be the one warming her bed every night. He'll touch her in ways no one else will."

It was like rage had set fire to her blood, and it swept through her. That could be the only explanation for how furious she was. It dulled the pain of every hit the man landed on her person, and the force of her strikes were shuddering along both of the staves.

"Or _her_. She seems to be having fun with the commander."

Fang's gaze, which she barely realized had sharpened intensely, centered on Lightning and the little turn of the princess's lips as she faced the high-ranking dragon rider.

Her distraction cost her as the man took full advantage of the opening to hit her again in the side and another in the stomach. She almost dropped her staff as she clutched her side and stepped back.

_It wasn't fair. It wasn't _**bloody **_fair!_

With a feral show of teeth, she dropped her staff and caught the other with her hands, completely halting the next strike. Her eyes were glazed with anger so much that she didn't register the surprise paling the man's face. A loud crack and she snapped the staff clean in two, then jerked the befuddled man to her in order to bash her skull against his nose.

Fang grabbed his shirt and threw him, _threw _him, over a dozen feet away. She stumbled forward from the unnatural burst of strength and crumbled to her knees as pain tore through her body.

She screamed.

Before tears blurred her vision, she saw cuts that ripped all along her arms, and she could feel it continue beneath her clothes, causing blood to coat her skin in seconds.

"_Fang._" It was an unguarded cry of panic, accompanied by quick footsteps thudding closer. A strong pair of hands were on her, moving her. The sweet smell of roses overwhelmed her until blood ran from her nose. "Bahamut, come on!" She could hear dragons roaring in the distance before blood dripped from her ears.

_Fang, I am here._

"L-Light?" She tasted copper and she couldn't say any more. Her last thought was wondering how the princess had gotten to her so fast.

…

Fang woke calmly. There was a weight against her left side and something heavy covering her. It was quiet except for someone's soft breathing. She opened her eyes slowly and stared with confusion at the unfamiliar ceiling. She looked down at her side.

Vanille was curled up there on top of the blankets, asleep. Fang lifted her head slightly and looked around. The room held a rich, noble feel even with its spartan furnishings. There was a clothes dresser and closet to one side. A rack of swords with beautifully designed sheaths were the only real decoration. There was a desk in one corner with a quill, inkwell, and a stack of papers sitting neatly on top. Princess Lightning was asleep in a chair close to the window...

Realization dawned, and Fang took another quick glance about the room. This had to be the princess's room. Her... bed. Fang looked at the heavy blankets on her. The bed was huge and the sheets incredibly soft. She nearly broke into a sweat.

Her shifting awakened her younger sibling, who looked at her with obvious relief. She helped Fang sit up and propped her against the headboard.

"How are you feeling?"

Trying to forget whose bed she was in, Fang stretched a little, mentally observing her body. "Fine." And she was, except for a dry throat. There was no indication that she had bled all over the place. Not even a headache.

Vanille climbed over her and off the bed, picking up a glass of water nearby and handing it to her. Fang mumbled her thanks and drained it.

"How long was I out?" They spoke in low voices, careful not to wake the princess. Through the window Fang could see it was approaching dusk.

"Most of the day. Princess Lightning's birthday party started about an hour ago. She's only briefly left the room since this morning, though." Vanille smiled, hinting at a secret. When she had arrived at the bedroom at Lightning's summons, more than slightly panicked, the princess had been sitting beside Fang while she slept. Tender fingers were stroking through the raven hair, and she'd looked at Fang with the gentlest expression Vanille had ever seen on the elder princess since working as Serah's attendant.

Vanille told this to Fang, continuing to smile. "It's kind of romantic."

Fang immediately scowled at her, hoping her blush wasn't too obvious. "You and your romantic fantasies. You've been reading too many of those books Serah lends you."

Vanille huffed. "Says the one who's been stealing said books." Fang's eyes widened, and the redhead's sparked with triumph. "Hah! I _knew _I was missing a few."

There was a shift in the chair nearby, and Fang shushed her sister. They both looked over.

The princess was still asleep, head propped on the knuckles of one hand, one leg crossed over the other. A book slipped from her lap and thudded onto the floor.

"I better go attend to Serah. She's trying to placate everyone until Lightning gets there. Maybe you should wake her." Vanille winked and exited the room, leaving Fang slightly flustered.

Vanille poked her head back through the door, making Fang jump a little as she was caught in the act of staring at the princess. "And I'll let Bahamut know you're okay. He's been as worried as the rest of us." Then she was gone again.

Fang pulled the covers back and moved her legs over the side of the bed. It was then she realized she was in a different set of clothes than her own. They were silky soft and she had to force herself not to think about who had possibly been the one to put them on her. And she had to have been given a bath to get all that blood off...

No, surely it had been Vanille.

The image of Lightning leaning over her and running a soapy cloth across her skin made her so terribly flushed that she immediately got out of the bed in an attempt to brush the idea aside. She stretched, making herself focus on how her body felt, checking to be sure there were no aches or pains.

Feeling fine, she looked to the sleeping princess. It didn't feel right to just leave and let Lightning find herself in an empty room. But how to wake her?

Fang cleared her throat, a bit loudly, hoping that would be enough. Of course it wasn't, and she scratched the back of her head sheepishly. She took a deep breath and walked forward.

The princess was in formal attire. A white doublet with red and gold trimming showed off her trim frame. A pair of stylish silver belts wrapped around her hips and over black pants that perfectly fit her legs. That red cape of hers was attached to her shoulder and draped off the side of the chair.

Fang's eyes drifted from her legs to the book that had dropped from Lightning's lap. The spine said _Diseases and Curses of the Blood. _It had fallen on its pages. Fang knelt, reaching to flip it over to see what the princess had been looking at.

Just when her fingers touched the book, another set of fingers brushed her cheek and she looked up, startled. Gentle blue eyes watched her.

The princess still had her head propped on a fist, and she moved her fingertips tenderly along the side of Fang's face. Fang swallowed thickly, at a loss for words. The princess remained quiet, just silently watching her.

"Did- did you find out anything?" Fang asked, remembering the book.

Lightning shook her head a little. "No. Not really." Her fingers reached a little into Fang's hair, and she had to suppress a shiver. If Lightning knew the effect she had, she didn't show it, just continuing to recline regally in her chair. Then her brow wrinkled slightly. "Vanille told me this has happened before."

Fang looked away. "Yeah. I... I was going to tell you, but you've been busy and I didn't want you to worry." Fang flushed a little. "N-not that you need to worry about me, Your Highness." Why the hell was she suddenly so tongue-tied? Those fingers were scrambling her brain.

Lightning's brow dipped even more at the use of her title. "Don't be a fool," was all she said before taking her hand away. Fang wanted to snatch it back. "I'd ask you to stay here and rest, but something tells me you're not going to. Will you go to the party?"

Fang looked at her. She hadn't wanted to go initially. There had been other parties that she could have gone to, but it was hard to see all the nobles being able to stand close to Lightning, while Fang had to be on the sidelines with the lower class. It reminded her of how far apart they really were. But something in Lightning's eyes changed her mind. The princess had asked politely, but her eyes were pleading.

"I'll go."

Lightning smiled. She uncrossed her legs and Fang moved so she could stand up. "If you wait here, I'll send someone to get you some proper clothes," she said as she reached for one of her swords and attached it to her belt.

"That's not-"

Lightning waved a hand, eyes touched with amusement. "I told them I would allow it. I think you owe them, and me, a favor for all the worry. I'm sure you can endure it."

Fang groaned, somehow knowing exactly who _they _were.

…

Fang entered the packed courtyard, tugging at her collar. Deciding to hell with it, she undid a couple buttons to give her room to breath. She'd never worn such fine clothes and rarely this many layers. Although she'd whined and complained throughout the whole process, especially when they'd tried to fix her hair, she had to admit Vanille and Princess Serah had done alright with finding clothes for her.

She was in a light, black vest with five clasps in the front and a green silk undershirt that had a few more ruffles than was necessary. Loose black pants tapered down to black boots with pointed toes. She remembered wincing when she first saw them, but they were more comfortable than they looked.

The courtyard held a large fountain in the center, statues of dragons standing every which way and spewing water from their mouths. Torches and magical balls of light lit the area. People milled to and fro, a band playing on one end where people danced. Tricksters and other entertainers flitted through the crowds.

People around her were chatting about various subjects, but most of them were about Lightning and what kind of ruler she would be. While some thought it worrisome, most of what Fang heard was very positive, even eager. Even more so, they speculated on what would happen to Advisor Dysley once Lightning took over. But these words were mostly spoken in hushed whispers that Fang only barely managed to hear.

It was easy to spot Princess Lightning. Her chair was propped on a high platform that allowed her to look out at the people who were also watching her, their future queen. She cut a strong and stalwart figure. Someone who was ready to lead with fairness and justice, but who could also be firm and swift in her actions. Fang could see awe in many eyes when they looked at her.

Guards flanked the stage. Galenth Dysley stood to one side, talking with Jihl Nabaat. Princess Serah sat to Lightning's left, in a slightly smaller chair, which Vanille stood behind in a pretty yellow dress.

Fang could see Serah pleading with Lightning about something, almost leaning out of her chair. The eldest finally waved her hand in defeat. Serah jumped up gleefully, gesturing for Vanille to accompany her into the crowds. A small, discrete signal from Lightning and several guards followed them.

Fang admired the perfectly kept flowers that lined the walkways as she passed. She followed her nose, and it led her straight to the buffet table. She saw Vanille and Serah chattering in whispers and giggles down at the far end and waved to them.

Laid across the center of the table were meats ranging from turkey, pork, mutton, and fish. Surrounding those were the finest breads and cheeses from all over the kingdom, along with vegetables and fruits of every kind. Wine was being freely served. Fang had no idea where to even start.

She heard her name called from somewhere nearby and spotted Snow strolling toward her, his blond head towering over the crowd.

"Aren't you on duty?" He was in the palace guard uniform.

"Yep!" he said, trying to smile, but it only lasted so long. "But I'm so bored. I don't suppose you could steal some food for me?"

They went along the buffet together, Fang slipping Snow some food every now and then, which he rapidly scarfed down. In that time, Fang filled Snow in on what had happened before and after she'd bled out all over the training field. Snow grinned a little too widely at the part where Fang woke up in the princess's bed, but knew better than to say anything. Then Snow told her what he'd seen.

"The princess was at you in seconds, even before I knew what was going on. Bahamut flew over to you, and she lifted you on him and took off. It looked like she was using healing magic the whole time. But all the other dragons started screeching and making all this noise," Snow raised his hands, emphasizing the commotion that was made, "And some looked like they were in pain. Others flew away. They managed to round them up later, and I heard there wasn't any obvious harm. You have any idea what might have caused it? Maybe it's magic."

Fang could only shake her head. She knew very little about magic, and even Lightning didn't seem to have a clue. She thought of the book Lightning had been reading. Was she cursed? Maybe they could search for more answers once this bloody party was over.

Snow waved a farewell, saying he had to get back to work before he was yelled at again. Fang wandered her way down the buffet table to her sister.

"Your Highness," Fang said, bowing her head to Serah. The princess smiled, nodding back. "I hope you're not getting my little sister into any trouble." Fang threw an arm around Vanille, ruffling her hair a bit and getting an unhappy glare in return.

Serah giggled. "No, not yet. I finally managed to get my own sister to let me wander unsupervised. I wouldn't want us to get into trouble too soon." Fang noticed the guards standing a respectable distance away, but close enough to rush in if their aid was needed. They'd be in trouble themselves if anything happened to Lightning's only sibling and were discretely intercepting any questionable party-goers who tried to approach.

Still, she decided it was better not to comment on it.

"Will she ever come down from there?" Fang asked instead, glancing at the elder princess. She had a line of people in front of her, offering gifts and well wishes. A pile was growing behind her, but she had her guards take the gifts and set them there, never accepting anything directly.

Serah looked a little sad at the question. "I don't think she will. She's not really fond of these gatherings. But she knows it makes people happy to see her, so she endures."

Fang watched Lightning some more. Her earlier observation was that of a leader, but now she began to wonder if there was something else. While the gifts were being transferred Fang caught her looking to the side briefly, perhaps sighing. She was alone amongst all the people, her title holding her away from them. Even the chairs beside hers were empty.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind terribly if you went up there to see her," Serah said, smiling gently as she watched Fang.

_I don't have a gift. _Well, she did. But she wasn't sure if or how she was going to deliver it. Now she was feeling a bit foolish and wondered if she should have just brought something. At the same time, she didn't want a gift of hers to end up in a careless pile along with everyone else's.

"Yeah, I think I will." Fang gave Vanille a brief hug and began her trek through the crowd.

She ran into a problem when she got to the line. Because, well, it was a _line_. And a long one at that. She wondered if she ought to just take her chances and stomp up to the front, but a gruff cough behind her made her turn around.

Fang instantly tensed even as the man held up a hand, the other holding a goblet of wine. "I come in peace." It was the dragon rider she'd sparred with. He had a relaxed expression this time however, instead of a sneer.

"Need something?" Fang asked, still wary. She felt a flicker of her anger resurface and tried to make herself relax. She didn't want to start anything here.

"James Ward. It's Fang, isn't it?" He chuckled shortly at the questioning look Fang gave him. "Don't look so surprised, lots of folks know who you are. You've trained a dragon worthy only of our future queen." The man paused a moment before clearing his throat. "The princess really sees something in you. I have to respect that and I apologize for my behavior earlier." The man sighed a little, scratching the back of his head. "That, and I got word that the princess forbid anyone to heal me until I agreed to apologize."

Fang blinked, not sure how to respond. She furrowed her brow. "Fine. But you're still an ass."

The man just chuckled again. Maybe he'd been drinking too much. "I guess it's thanks to you I got her attention at all. Even if it wasn't favorable." He bowed his head slightly. "Good luck to you, Fang." She watched, a little bewildered, as the man walked away.

"_You're _Fang? As in, the Fang who raised the princess's dragon?"

Fang turned around again, and found herself with a small audience. "Er, yeah?"

"It's really her? Wow, she's more pretty than I imagined. And taller."

"You get to see the princess often, right? I'm so envious."

"Can you tell us how you trained Bahamut?"

"You still look after him, don't you? What's he like? Is he friendly?"

At first she was hesitant, unsure how to deal with a gaggle of fans. But she smiled and listened to them, and as she answered their questions, her friendliness soon took over. It wasn't long before she found herself surrounded by servants, nobles, and even a few dragon riders. Most had been at the matching event, and had been incredibly thrilled with Bahamut's performance. Even more so that he'd only allowed Princess Lightning to ride him.

A few began sidling up even closer, close enough to brush her arm. Before she knew it one of the noblewomen was clinging to her arm, smiling up at her. The woman's breasts pressed against Fang's side.

"You are so delightful! You must visit sometime. My parents would so love to meet you." This was followed by a surge of invitations from all directions that almost caused Fang to back up.

She chuckled good-naturedly, trying to discretely step away from the woman. But her arm was securely trapped. "Well, maybe we can make a deal. You have to have some decent food, yeah?"

The silent response she received was not what she had expected. However, she recognized in a second that everyone's attention was no longer on her, but somewhere behind her.

Fang looked over her shoulder.

Princess Lightning had come down from her throne, and was striding directly and purposefully toward their group. The contingent of guards marching at her back made sure no citizens impeded her steps. That wasn't really a problem, however, because the heiress's fiery, steel-blue eyes were swearing execution upon any in her path. And those eyes were centered on the woman hanging off Fang's arm.

Unsure of what she'd done, but understandably fearful, the lady let go of Fang and stumbled back several paces into the crowd, along with a few others who had been too close.

"Lady Willow," Lightning addressed, moving forward and claiming the vacated space at Fang's side. Her eyes were sharp and merciless. "I see you've met my dragon's keeper."

Fang wasn't sure if it was her sensitive hearing getting out of hand again, but she felt a little thrill at the way the princess said '_my'_.

"Your Highness, h-how very honored we are for you to grace us with your presence." The lady curtseyed. "Your keeper- _dragon's _keeper- is quite, erm, charming indeed."

After a short moment Lightning's eyes reduced their intensity, as though she felt she'd established her position. She looked at Fang just long enough to say, "She is." Then her eyes flicked around the silent crowd. All focus was on her, and while she didn't seem particularly comfortable in this setting, it couldn't be unfamiliar territory. She was patient and quiet as she observed the people, until settling on one of the older nobles.

"Lord Estheim," Lightning acknowledged with a nod, which the lord returned in a bow. "I trust your son is well."

"He is, Your Highness. Thank you. I was telling Miss Fang here how excited he was to have a chance to ride the dragon that became the princess's own." He sighed. "I'm just glad he wasn't hurt like the others."

"He has a good hand with dragons," Fang commented politely. "Alexander will be happy with him." She inwardly smiled at the thought. Alexander was a massive, albeit gentle dragon.

Fang felt Lightning's eyes on her again. "Speaking of dragons, I wondered if you might tell me how Bahamut is doing while I search for my lost sister."

Fang gave her a questioning look before masking it quickly. Obviously Lightning already knew how Bahamut was, and she most certainly knew exactly where her sister was and what she was doing. "Of course, Your Highness."

The princess nodded to their audience as she and Fang took their leave, the people bowing at her exit and gradually returning to other activities.

Lightning settled a hand idly on the hilt of her sword as they walked. She looked at Fang, who noticed a curious hesitancy beneath the gaze. "Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked, her voice low and soft so only Fang could hear.

She told her the truth, adding a crooked smile. "Things just got a lot better."

Lightning looked away, but not before Fang caught the coloring of her cheeks, the softening of her eyes, and the small turn of her lips. "I agree."

Fang had the sudden urge to reach out and hold her hand, though she knew she couldn't. Eyes were on them as they walked through the courtyard. Many more people bowed or, if their status allowed it, greeted and congratulated the princess. Fang wasn't sure where she was suppose to stand next to her, as she was still just a servant in the eyes of many. But any attempt to move behind or further to the side earned her a look and a raised brow from Lightning.

"Walk with me," the princess said, firmly enough to convey she wouldn't have it any other way.

Fang smiled as she more confidently matched her steps with Lightning's.

They spotted Serah and Vanille at the edges of the dance floor. Princess Serah had a hand on Vanille's arm, leaning closer to her as she pointed at something in front of them, excitedly talking about whatever it was. They seemed to have opted out of dancing with anyone for the time being. Of course, anyone who _did_ dance with them would be put on a quick list of people to interrogate.

But Fang and Lightning's approach was intercepted by an incredibly tall, dark-haired man. Fang knew him. Duke Cid Raines of Lindblum, one of the more famous dragon riders. He greeted the princess and offered a hand.

"Would you honor me with a dance, Your Highness?"

The many eyes on them turned somewhat eager. Fang remembered what that idiot James Ward had said when they sparred. People had hopes for these two. She couldn't help but glare silently, seething, at the handsome nobleman.

Lightning appeared to contemplate the hand presented to her. Then she looked at all the people around them. They were smiling as they watched her.

She took his hand. "Very well."

Lightning looked at Fang before leaving, appearing to have difficulty in finding something to say with everyone listening.

"I'll be back."

Fang swallowed, but only nodded in reply. _It was just her duty. She's only trying to please the people. It doesn't mean anything. They want to see her with someone._

_But it can't be with you..._

"I see you're already back on your feet." Fang turned to the voice and found none other than Jihl Nabaat walking to her side. The woman pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "I trust you're feeling better after that... terrible incident."

"Yes, er..."

"Please, call me Jihl." The woman smiled, but it looked rather fake. "I was curious about what happened. You seemed quite angry beforehand."

"I don't know either," Fang said flatly, oddly unsure about divulging any more information. She chose not to.

"Hm." Jihl turned thoughtful and looked at the princess dancing with Cid. "They look rather good together, don't you agree?"

Fang immediately grit her teeth and folded her arms. _No_. She felt a flicker of anger and didn't notice the sideways glance Jihl gave her.

"Although, I'm not sure the princess is all that enchanted with him as others seem to be. Perhaps she needs... a more feminine partner."

"What?" Fang looked at her, startled out of her brooding thoughts.

Jihl chuckled lowly, touching her glasses again. "It's unfortunate that your status is so low. Otherwise you would have stepped in already, am I right?"

Fang just stared at her.

"But nobody would accept you if you did, would they? They don't want a commoner with their beloved princess. And so here you have to stand, on the sidelines. Watching as others pull her farther and farther away from you. And you know you'll never be able to get her back." Jihl took her glasses off then, tucking them into her jacket. "'Tis a frustrating prospect, no?"

With that, Jihl walked onto the dance floor. Fang watched in gaping silence as Jihl closed in on Cid and Lightning, stopping them and fluidly taking the duke's place.

And all Fang could do was watch. Just watch.

No, she wasn't frustrated. She wasn't even angry.

She was devastated.

With a deflated heart, she turned from the dancers, barely able to apologize to the server she knocked over in her haste. Vanille was at her side but she just brushed past her, telling the girl to leave her be, as she made her way out of the courtyard.

…

Lightning's eye nearly twitched as Cid politely, if reluctantly, handed her to Jihl. The height difference was a drastic change, but the woman was a rather good dancer in comparison. Lightning just sighed, resigned to her fate to at least finish out the song.

It was a mistake, but what was she suppose to do? Her people were pleased with her actions, all smiling at her. She was here to make them happy, right? It was her duty. It was her only purpose in life, and she was determined to fulfill it.

But it felt so wrong.

Jihl had a satisfied smile on her face that bothered Lightning, and as they twirled about the dance floor, she swept her eyes over the crowd, searching. After a few times around with no luck, worry began to prickle across her skin.

She found Serah and the sad shake of her sister's head told her everything.

Fang was gone.

...

Fang slowly dragged her feet into the dark cavern. It was a hell of a long way to get to the stables, especially at night. She lit a few of the wall torches with her own, and then set it aside.

A low growl of acknowledgment came from the far side as Bahamut raised his head and blinked sleepy eyes at her. His scaled brows lowered as much as they could in a show of sympathy, taking in his keeper's state.

Fang approached him and placed her hands on either side of his muzzle. With a long sigh, she rested her head against it, closing her eyes for a moment.

When she opened them she felt a little more calm, as she always did around the dragon. Bahamut continued to support her quietly. "It would never have worked out anyway," she murmured aloud.

She could be angry about it, but what good would it do? Not to mention the last time it happened she'd somehow set a bunch of dragons into a frenzy.

The princess had her duty and Fang had her own. That would just have to be the end of it.

Fang's fingers tensed over Bahamut's scales. She didn't want to just stand on the sideline and watch. It was too painful to see someone else at Lightning's side. Flirting with her. Touching her.

She was able to stand next to her. Talk to her. But she could never touch her. Not how she wanted to.

_Perhaps I should leave. It would be for the best. _She would drive herself mad otherwise. Vanille was in a safe and secure place. Bahamut would still be well taken care of. Lightning would see to that.

Bahamut rumbled his displeasure when Fang voiced her thoughts.

"I know. I don't like it either. You've been a good friend. But I just... I can't do it..." Her heart was already chipping away. She needed to get out before there was nothing left.

Bahamut pushed her gently with his nose.

Fang sighed again, forcing a smile. "Alright. One last ride, then."

She strapped a saddle onto Bahamut, taking her time. She may never be able to see or work with these beautiful creatures again when she left.

After securely fastening it, the dragon lowered his neck and she gripped the edges of the saddle, ready to pull herself up.

Bahamut's head came up sharply, turning violet eyes to the entryway.

Fang looked at him curiously before following his gaze.

Princess Lightning stood at the entrance to the cavern, shoulders heaving with each breath. Her cheeks were flushed pink against light skin. A hand rested on her sword as she worked to settle her lungs.

Fang let go of the saddle and turned to face her. It was quiet for a while, except for the soft crackle of torches and Lightning's steadily calming breath. Their eyes never left each other.

"What are you doing here?" Fang finally asked.

Lightning gestured with a hand, opening her mouth but unable to come up with an immediate answer. She took a few more deep breaths, shifting the weight on her feet. "You left."

There was a noticeable pause as Fang let that sink in. "How did you get away?"

Lightning smiled a little. "Vanille is surprisingly good with distractions. Serah and her somehow set the curtains on fire over where the band was playing, flipped over the buffet tables, and opened the dog kennels all at once. I'm not sure where they got the fireworks either."

Fang smiled as she thought of her how devious her little sister could be. It had certainly gotten them in and out of trouble many times when they were younger.

"I was as surprised as everyone else, I thought there might be an attack. But Serah got to me before my guards and told me to run."

"And you came here."

Lightning looked at her strangely for a minute before taking a few steps toward her. "Where else would I go?"

Opening and closing her mouth several times, Fang tried to stamp out the flicker of hope in her heart before it took over and left her scarred. "But you have your people to look after. A kingdom to run." Lightning kept walking toward her, and she looked almost angry with everything Fang said. Fang felt herself stumbling, flushing as the princess drew closer. "You'll have to be with- marry someone. People aren't going to want a- a stable girl around you all the time. You need someone else. Someone better."

The princess stopped front of her, hands balled into fists, almost baring her teeth. "And who would that be, exactly?"

Fang just stared at her, unwilling to give ground however much she felt the need to step back.

Lightning released a breath, a breath she had been holding for three years, and grabbed Fang by the back of her head with a hand. "You're such a fool," she whispered harshly before dragging Fang close and kissing her.

She nearly lost her balance, and then her feet as the ground seemed to disappear at the press of Lightning's lips. She found herself clutching at the princess's forearms while warm hands stroked over her face.

Lightning pulled back, just enough to stare into Fang's eyes with a fierceness that burned straight to her rapidly beating heart**.** "I know I have a duty to my people. And I will fulfill that duty." Lightning's fingers dipped into her hair, clutching. "But I won't choose anyone else."

Fang gripped her forearms a little harder. She could still be here, at her side. She could still touch her. "I don't want anyone else close to you."

The princess nodded, understanding. "And if I see anyone touching you like before I'll either have them thrown behind bars or sent far away."

Fang's lips tipped up. "That sounds like a promise."

Lightning's eyes stayed on Fang's, searching, before dropping to her mouth. "I promise," she breathed, leaning in again.

Fang met her halfway this time, watching as the princess's eyes drifted shut and allowed her own to do the same. Her arms circled and held her close, one hand reaching up into her hair to cradle her head as she took over the kiss. How long had she waited, dreamed, of being this close to her? Holding her like this?

She _was _a fool. A fool for not kissing Lightning when she had the chance. A fool for thinking herself not good enough. For feeling unworthy.

Slanting her head hard over Lightning, she deepened the kiss, tipping her back. The princess clutched at her hair and shoulders, the only thing keeping her from falling onto her back were Fang's arms around her. Their lips were clumsy with their first kiss, but neither cared because all that mattered was the feeling behind it and the way they held each other.

A hand slid over her face and Fang automatically covered it with her own. She pulled back, straightening them enough for Lightning to hold herself up. They rested their foreheads together, catching their breath. The princess's thumb brushed her lip and she knew she had a silly grin on her face.

A nudge against their sides nearly knocked them over. Both looked sharply to see Bahamut eyeing them with a bit of a grumpy glare. He bumped Lightning again with his snout.

The princess chuckled. With Fang's arms still holding her, she reached out with one hand to rest on Bahamut's muzzle and leaned over to kiss him on the tip of his nose. He puffed a happy steam of breath, glad he wasn't being ignored anymore

"Come on." Fang took her hand and pulled her toward Bahamut's saddle, remembering she still had a gift to give. "I want to show you something."

* * *

**Author's note:**

Apologies for the late update *throws FLight at you and runs*

Many, many thanks to Avatar_of_Ragnarok and LogosMinusPity for beta-reading this for me. You guys really helped smooth out a lot of awkward sentences. Because, English how do?

Also tons of thanks to them and everyone else in chat who helped with ideas and just listened to my grumbling as I struggled to figure out how to get this chapter wrapped up. Believe me when I say this turned out a lot better than what I had planned initially.


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